It will be illegal to operate and illegal to engage an unlicensed security provider by early next year under new rules announced today by the Private Security Announcer (PSA).
The schedule for licensing the different sectors will commence in October this year and are scheduled to be concluded by the end of 2006.
Different sectors within the industry will have different 'critical dates' to comply with the regulations.
For example security guards and doormen will have six months from October to apply for the licence, after that it will be a criminal offence for them to operate or engage in unlicenced security.
The cost of a two-year licence for a security guard begins at €80 and €130 for a door supervisor. The cost to contractors of obtaining a licence fee for their employees depends on the size of their turnover but starts at €1,250 for a security guard licence.
The new regulations will also force the members of the security industry to be registered and adhere to certain standards.
Companies and employees will also face cross-checks from gardaí and eventually the PSA hopes to have a database whereby individual companies can check whether or not other firms they re dealing with are also licenced.
The PSA will require security guards, alarm installers, cash-in-transit workers and private detectives to declare details of all criminal convictions. It will also check their records with the Gardai and then exercise discretion on whether to issue a licence to a person with a criminal record.
Welcoming the new regulations the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, said: "The need for statutory regulation is vital in a rapidly growing industry is vital to create widespread confidence and combat low standards, among other things given that the security industry employs in excess of 20,000 people."
"The very fact that standards and training are a requirement of licensing can only serve to benefit all involved in the industry and this, I believe, will create more opportunities for all individuals," he added.
The Chief Executive of the PSA, Geraldine Larkin, said "we have essentially delivered a licensing plan whcih so many people and groups have sought for decades. If we work in partnership we can create an industry which will grow and develop as a major player in all sectors of Irish society into the future."
The Irish security industry association said the introduction of the licensing programme was a great day for the industry. "We've battled for the best part of 30 years for this. It's long overdue and will fully support the Authority," said its president Les McLindon.
He added that his members would have no qualms about alerting the PSA's inspectors to companies and individuals who were working in the sector without a licence.
The Security Industry of Ireland said the increased regulation would boost the sector. "The dodgy outfits operating at the moment will be brought to heel and then we will have a security industry we can be proud of," said spokesman Pat Goff.
He added that it would make the security industry a career option for school leavers and college graduates, instead of an option of last resort for people who could work nowhere else.
Additional reporting: PA
