Some people employed in the security industry are not receiving the set hourly rate for the job, Labour Senator Gerald Nash has claimed.
He told the Seanad an employment regulation order signed by Minister of State for Jobs Pat Breen increased the hourly rate of pay from €10.75 to €11.05.
“Some security guards are being ripped off and effectively robbed of their legitimate wages,’’ Mr Nash added.
“Unscrupulous companies engaged in this practice are breaking the law and must feel the force of the law upon them.’’
He said those who broke the law by not paying their staff properly were not only stealing from their staff, but also sticking their two fingers at decent businesses in the industry.
He added he had advised staff who were being exploited to make a formal complaint to the rights commissioners as per the legislation.
Mr Breen said he noted what Mr Nash had said about rogue security firms and would take it on board.
He said the number of inspections carried out by inspectors from the Workplace Relations Commission in the security sector between October and December 2015 were three, with two employers in breach.
He added there had been five inspections to the end of last May, with two employers in breach.
