Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2015
377. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide, in tabular form, the annual cost to her Department, and to State agencies under its aegis, of private security firms utilised from 2011 to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24873/15]
View answerFor the purposes of the Deputy's question, the term 'private security firms' is taken as referring to a 'private security employer' as defined in the Private Security Services Act, 2004, and refers to a person who employs persons whose principal function is to provide security services for persons other than the employer.
A 'security service' as defined in the above Act refers to a service provided by a private security employer or by any one of the following persons in the course of an employment or as an independent contractor (but, except in the case of a door supervisor or security guard, does not include a service provided by a person whose principal function is to provide it only for the person’s employer):
(a) door supervisor,
(b) supplier or installer of security equipment,
(c) private investigator,
(d) security consultant,
(e) security guard,
(f) provider of protected forms of transport,
(g) locksmith,
(h) supplier or installer of safes.
The above definition includes information such as minor relocations of office safes and service checks on security equipment etc., which come under the broad definition of a 'security service'. This type of information is not readily available in all cases and to compile it would necessitate a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort. Otherwise, the information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table: 1
The Deputy should note that this response encompasses numerous buildings for this Department and its associated agencies including the Irish National Immigration Service, the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, the Legal Aid Board, the Private Security Authority, the Probation Service, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, the Property Registration Authority, the Irish Prison service and the Court Service covering dozens of buildings nationwide.
Cost Per Year in (€)
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 (to date) |
|
2,601,749 |
2,291,568 |
1,936,068 |
1,783,723 |
650,073 |
1 Unfortunately, it was not possible to include a complete response from An Garda Síochána in the timeframe allowed. As soon as this information becomes available, it will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
