More than 520,000 vetting applications were received by the Garda National Vetting Bureau last year.

The first ever Garda National Vetting Conference has heard that over 85% of these applications were processed within five working days.

This volume of applications was a significant increase from the 390,000 received in 2016.

An Garda Síochána has advised statutory, voluntary and community organisations that work with children and vulnerable people to be compliant with vetting legislation.

Deputy commissioner for policing and security, John Twomey, said that the Garda National Vetting Bureau has established a compliance unit that will be conducting "regular checks" on organisations to ensure they are adhering to their statutory obligations.

Deputy Twomey also advised organisations that they are liable for prosecution for significant and/or repeated breaches of the National Vetting Bureau Acts 2012 to 2016.

Speaking at the conference on Tuesday, he said: "Vetting is a core policing function - and that function is the protection of children and vulnerable people.

"As such, vetting can be seen as often the first line of defence in keeping children and vulnerable people safe.

"That is why we take such care to make sure we get our vetting right," he said.

"In the first instance, the focus of compliance will be to promote best practice amongst relevant organisations, for example, through the facilitation of knowledge sharing amongst relevant organisations where good practice has been established.

"We would all like to work to a situation where such action would not be necessary and today's conference is in part to help organisations ensure they are meeting the required standard.

"But where there are significant and repeated failings then investigations will take place and prosecutions may be recommended.

"That is our responsibility and I know it is one that the Chief Bureau Officer of the National Garda Vetting Bureau takes very seriously," Deputy Twomey added.

A number of vetting and safeguarding specialists from An Garda Síochána and external agencies provided advice to organisations attending the conference.

Main image: Deputy Commissioner John Twomey at George's Hall, Dublin Castle at a Policing Authority meeting in 2018 | Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie