Budget 2019
Minister Paschal Donohue TD announced an increase of €89 million in funding for early years in Budget 2019. This increase is broken down as follows:
- Increased funding to childcare schemes including CCS and Affordable Childcare Scheme €61m
- Costs associated with delivery of new and existing schemes €10.5m
- Restoration and increase to Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) funding €10.5m
- Increase to existing Programme Support Payments €1.4m
- New, once off, Programme Support Payment for ACS €2m
- Capital increase €2m
- Childminding initiative €0.5m
- Increase to Inspectorates €0.6m
- Other policy initiatives €0.5m
In our 2019 Budget submission Early Childhood Ireland asked our political leaders to rise to the challenge of delivering world-class early childhood education and care for babies, children and families in Ireland and to address the historical under-investment in the early years sector.
Early Childhood Ireland believes that the 2019 Budget represents some limited progress in this regard, building on other recent investment. However, there are still significant structural and other challenges which impact on our members’ capacity to survive and thrive most notably the ongoing staffing crisis. If Ireland is to deliver world-class provision, excellent and valued early years educators will need to be at its forefront. Policy makers need to understand the fundamental importance of this consistency of care for babies and children and the sustainability of a vibrant sector.
On Budget day, we released our initial response to the Budget. Following the further details announced by Minister Zappone on Wednesday, we completed a more in-depth Budget 2019 analysis of the measures introduced in Budget 2019 that will impact upon you and the early years sector. In our Budget 2019 Analysis, we measure the progress of the asks included in our Budget submission against the announcements made by the government last Tuesday. We also outline the measures introduced that will impact on children, families and providers.
Our response to the Budget received broad coverage in both local and national media. Our CEO, Teresa Heeney, spoke to RTÉ 1 television and Virgin Media’s Ireland AM, while our Director of Policy, Advocacy & Communications, Frances Byrne, spoke with Today FM, Newstalk, Virgin Media News, and East Coast FM. In addition, RTÉ Drivetime visited and recorded an item with one of our member settings. We used these platforms as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges facing the sector, and what priority actions need to be taken by this government to ensure Ireland has a thriving early years sector providing quality care to babies and young children.
You may also be interested in the budget responses from the following organisations:
- Children’s Rights Alliance
- Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice
- National Women’s Council
- Barnardos
- Society of St Vincent de Paul
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How to Track Your Garda Vetting applications and avoid unnecessary delays
Keeping Garda Vetting applications moving smoothly often comes down to one simple task: tracking them regularly. While processing times are determined by the National Vetting Bureau, many delays occur before an application even enters the vetting process because applicants have not completed their NVB link. Regularly monitoring your Garda Vetting Dashboard, using the NVB tracker, and following up with applicants can help identify issues early, reduce delays, and ensure applications progress as quickly as possible.
Accessing your Garda Vetting Dashboard
The Garda Vetting Dashboard provides a centralised view of all applications submitted through Early Childhood Ireland. It allows you to monitor applications, locate reference numbers, and track progress throughout the vetting process.
To access your dashboard:
- Log in to the Early Childhood Ireland website
- Navigate to My Account
- Open the Garda Vetting Dashboard
If your organisation operates across multiple sites and uses more than one Membership or Garda Vetting user number, ensure you are logged into the correct account, as only applications linked to that membership number will be displayed.
Check applications 24 hours after submission
Once an application has been submitted, it is vital the designated Garda Vetting contact for your setting checks their email inbox or the setting dashboard approximately 24 hours later to confirm that the application has been submitted and received successfully.
If:
- No confirmation email has been received, and
- The applicant does not appear on the dashboard,
this indicates that the application was not successfully submitted and should be resubmitted. Always ensure the “Thank You” screen appears after clicking submit.
To track an application, you will need:
- The ECI Reference Number (Application ID)
- The applicant’s date of birth
The tracker provides real-time updates on the application’s current stage and is available 24 hours a day. You can find clear explanations for each step of the status history of the Garda Vetting process in our Garda Vetting FAQs, under the section “How can I track an application I have submitted for a staff member?”.
Don’t forget to follow up with applicants
A key part of managing applications is ensuring applicants complete the NVB link they receive by email. An application cannot begin processing until the applicant has accessed, completed, and submitted their NVB link correctly.
We recommend that validators:
- Confirm applicants have received the NVB email
- Ask applicants to check junk or spam folders if the email has not arrived
- If email link received, ensure applicants can access the link successfully
- Follow up if the link has not been completed within a reasonable timeframe (Link will expire after 30 days)
A quick follow-up can often prevent weeks of avoidable delay.
When your applicant confirms they have completed the NVB link, use the NVB tracker to ensure your applicant has completed the link correctly. If the applicant has completed the link correctly, on the tracker you should see ‘Application submitted to NVB for processing’
If the applicant has completed the application incorrectly, you will see something similar to the below:
Applications will be cancelled and resent to the applicant until they have completed the link correctly. Therefore, it is important to use the NVB tracker and follow up with applicants, as only the applicant receives an email outlining the issue and providing instructions on how to amend it when the link is completed incorrectly.
Timeline reminder – The clock starts when the applicant submits the NVB link
One of the most important points to remember is that processing timelines do not begin when the validator submits the applicant’s details to Early Childhood Ireland. Timelines only begin once the applicant has completed and submitted their NVB application link.
Current processing timelines are approximately:
- Standard applications: 15–20 working days
- Applications with EU address history: up to 25–30 working days
- Applications with UK address history: up to 35–40 working days
Please note that some applications may take longer depending on individual circumstances.
Re-vetting applications require the same processing time
A common misconception is that re-vetting applications are processed faster than new applications. This is not the case. Re-vetting applications follow the same process and are subject to the same processing timelines as new Garda Vetting applications. The NVB processes applications in chronological order, and applications cannot be prioritised or expedited.
For this reason, services should begin the re-vetting process well in advance of disclosure expiry dates. Starting re-vetting 2–3 months before expiration can help avoid disruption and ensure your setting remains compliant.
Key takeaway
Regularly checking your Garda Vetting Dashboard, tracking applications through the NVB Tracker, and following up with applicants who have not completed their NVB link are some of the most effective ways to prevent delays.
With the busy recruitment and re-vetting period approaching, now is the ideal time to review upcoming Garda Vetting requirements within your service. We encourage members to begin both new vetting and re-vetting applications as early as possible, keeping current processing timelines in mind. A proactive approach, combined with regular tracking of applications and timely follow-up with applicants, can help avoid unnecessary delays and ensure applications are completed when needed
Share this post
More to explore
How to Track Your Garda Vetting applications and avoid unnecessary delays
Keeping Garda Vetting applications moving smoothly often comes down to one simple task: tracking them regularly. While processing times are determined by the National Vetting Bureau, many delays occur before an application even enters the vetting process because applicants have not completed their NVB link. Regularly monitoring your Garda Vetting Dashboard, using the NVB tracker, and following up with applicants can help identify issues early, reduce delays, and ensure applications progress as quickly as possible.
Accessing your Garda Vetting Dashboard
The Garda Vetting Dashboard provides a centralised view of all applications submitted through Early Childhood Ireland. It allows you to monitor applications, locate reference numbers, and track progress throughout the vetting process.
To access your dashboard:
- Log in to the Early Childhood Ireland website
- Navigate to My Account
- Open the Garda Vetting Dashboard
If your organisation operates across multiple sites and uses more than one Membership or Garda Vetting user number, ensure you are logged into the correct account, as only applications linked to that membership number will be displayed.
Check applications 24 hours after submission
Once an application has been submitted, it is vital the designated Garda Vetting contact for your setting checks their email inbox or the setting dashboard approximately 24 hours later to confirm that the application has been submitted and received successfully.
If:
- No confirmation email has been received, and
- The applicant does not appear on the dashboard,
this indicates that the application was not successfully submitted and should be resubmitted. Always ensure the “Thank You” screen appears after clicking submit.
To track an application, you will need:
- The ECI Reference Number (Application ID)
- The applicant’s date of birth
The tracker provides real-time updates on the application’s current stage and is available 24 hours a day. You can find clear explanations for each step of the status history of the Garda Vetting process in our Garda Vetting FAQs, under the section “How can I track an application I have submitted for a staff member?”.
Don’t forget to follow up with applicants
A key part of managing applications is ensuring applicants complete the NVB link they receive by email. An application cannot begin processing until the applicant has accessed, completed, and submitted their NVB link correctly.
We recommend that validators:
- Confirm applicants have received the NVB email
- Ask applicants to check junk or spam folders if the email has not arrived
- If email link received, ensure applicants can access the link successfully
- Follow up if the link has not been completed within a reasonable timeframe (Link will expire after 30 days)
A quick follow-up can often prevent weeks of avoidable delay.
When your applicant confirms they have completed the NVB link, use the NVB tracker to ensure your applicant has completed the link correctly. If the applicant has completed the link correctly, on the tracker you should see ‘Application submitted to NVB for processing’
If the applicant has completed the application incorrectly, you will see something similar to the below:
Applications will be cancelled and resent to the applicant until they have completed the link correctly. Therefore, it is important to use the NVB tracker and follow up with applicants, as only the applicant receives an email outlining the issue and providing instructions on how to amend it when the link is completed incorrectly.
Timeline reminder – The clock starts when the applicant submits the NVB link
One of the most important points to remember is that processing timelines do not begin when the validator submits the applicant’s details to Early Childhood Ireland. Timelines only begin once the applicant has completed and submitted their NVB application link.
Current processing timelines are approximately:
- Standard applications: 15–20 working days
- Applications with EU address history: up to 25–30 working days
- Applications with UK address history: up to 35–40 working days
Please note that some applications may take longer depending on individual circumstances.
Re-vetting applications require the same processing time
A common misconception is that re-vetting applications are processed faster than new applications. This is not the case. Re-vetting applications follow the same process and are subject to the same processing timelines as new Garda Vetting applications. The NVB processes applications in chronological order, and applications cannot be prioritised or expedited.
For this reason, services should begin the re-vetting process well in advance of disclosure expiry dates. Starting re-vetting 2–3 months before expiration can help avoid disruption and ensure your setting remains compliant.
Key takeaway
Regularly checking your Garda Vetting Dashboard, tracking applications through the NVB Tracker, and following up with applicants who have not completed their NVB link are some of the most effective ways to prevent delays.
With the busy recruitment and re-vetting period approaching, now is the ideal time to review upcoming Garda Vetting requirements within your service. We encourage members to begin both new vetting and re-vetting applications as early as possible, keeping current processing timelines in mind. A proactive approach, combined with regular tracking of applications and timely follow-up with applicants, can help avoid unnecessary delays and ensure applications are completed when needed
High quality Early Years for children under three-Part 1
First Event of Early Childhood Ireland’s Budget 2027 Campaign
Action needed: Download your certificates
Our new ECI Professional Learning Hub will launch next month. The certificates you have already gained will not automatically transfer.
We ask that you please download any certificates you may need from the current Learning Hub for both you and your staff.
