Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 April 2012
1016 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason installers are unable to contact the Private Security Authority by telephone and that they are unable to have their queries dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18814/12]
View answer1017 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of money raised by the Private Security Authority in 2009, 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18815/12]
View answer1018 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of inspections carried out by the Private Security Authority in County Mayo in 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18816/12]
View answer1019 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the role of the Private Security Authority; his plans to reduce the fee being charged to alarm installers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18818/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1016 to 1019, inclusive, together.
The Private Security Authority, established under the Private Security Services Act 2004, is the regulatory body with responsibility for regulating and licensing the private security industry in the State. The Authority is an independent body under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality and the administration of the Authority is vested in a Board whose membership includes industry representatives. The key responsibilities of the Authority are to licence and regulate those providing security services and to improve and maintain standards in the provision of these services.
Contractors such as those in the intruder alarm installer sector are required to pay a licence fee to the Authority. As the Authority is an independent body, my Department has no role in the determination of licence fees. This is a matter for which the Private Security Authority has sole statutory responsibility and it would be inappropriate for me to interfere in the exercise of these statutory functions. However, I am informed by the Authority that the current fee, which is for a two year licence, was set by the Authority in 2005 and has not been increased since that time.
The provision of a regulatory environment understandably has cost implications for the industry. The Authority has made every effort to ensure that costs are kept to a minimum and has also introduced an instalment payment option to assist contractors with paying for their licence.
The table sets out the licence fees paid to the Authority in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011:
|
Year |
Contractor Licence Fees |
Individual Licence Fees |
Total Licence Fees |
|
2009 |
€716,294 |
€1,146,939 |
€1,863,233 |
|
2010 |
€1,454,300 |
€1,373,163 |
€2,827,463 |
|
2011 |
€800,950 |
€1,480,177 |
€2,281,127 |
I understand that Inspectors from the Authority conduct inspections on a wide range of licence holders, including security guards, door supervisors, installers of intruder alarms and Cash-In-Transit services. Where required, the Authority's Inspectors undertake joint inspections with other state agencies and regulators including An Garda Síochána and the Revenue Commissioners.
The Authority conducts announced quality control inspections of contractors operating in licensable sectors of the security industry as well as unannounced visits to contractors and locations where security services are being provided. In the past two years, I am informed that 39 inspections where undertaken in County Mayo.
I am advised that the Authority has a modern phone system which is manned by its staff and the Authority acknowledges that during certain peak times it can be difficult to contact the Contractor Division of the Authority. For this reason alternative communication channels, including email and text, are available. In addition, the direct dial numbers for the Division are contained in all correspondence and detailed on the Authority's website. The Authority deals with all enquiries made to them. However, in circumstances where the enquiry is of a technical nature or where the identity of the caller cannot be verified, the Authority may opt to respond to the enquiry in writing.
