A national protest planned for tomorrow by hundreds of workers in the cash-in-transit service has been postponed following an announcement by the Security Authority of new licensing requirements for companies operating in the sector.
Employers and union representatives are also to draw up a strategy to deal with health and safety concerns.
Around 400 staff in the cash -in-transit sector had planned a day-long stoppage tomorrow in protest at the threat to their safety from armed gangs.
Siptu's security branch secretary Kevin McMahon told The Irish Times last night the decision to postpone the day of protest also followed an agreement by Justice Minister Michael McDowell to meet with Siptu on the recent attacks on staff involved in transporting cash.
Under the plans drawn up by the Security Authority, companies and contractors in the sector will have to be licensed. Licences will only be granted to companies or contractors who comply with a new code of professional standards to be drawn up.
The standards will govern issues such as training, operational procedures, recruitment and command and control arrangements. They will be drawn up by the National Standards Authority of Ireland in consultation with relevant parties.
The Security Authority is a statutory agency charged with the regulation of the private security industry.
It said yesterday it would be introducing a licensing system from October for some sectors of the private security industry. It was hoped that the new standards and the licensing arrangement could be introduced for other sectors, including the cash-in-transit area, at some stage next year.
Mr McMahon said Siptu had been seeking a licensing system for some time. Companies in the cash-in-transit sector and union representatives had also agreed to approach the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) to draw up guidelines for employers, employees and clients.
Siptu is to meet with Mr McDowell about the recent attacks on staff involved in the cash-in-transit sector on April 25th. Mr McMahon said Siptu believed that while the companies in the sector had a responsibility to deter attacks, the Government also had a major role to play through the resources provided to the Garda.
