Vol. 194 No. 6
asked the Minister for Justice the number of private detective or security groups in the State; where their headquarters are situated; if they have to register or obtain a licence; and, if so, on what conditions; and if any group or member of such group has a licence to carry fire arms, including shotguns, or to use armoured cars.
94.
also asked the Minister for Justice if he has considered the possibility that private detectives or security groups operating in this country could be used as a cover by individuals to engage in espionage or work detrimental to the best interests of the State; and if he will consider this question in relation to the Official Secrets Bill, 1962.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions 93 and 94 together.
Detective agencies are not required to have a licence and I have no official knowledge as to their headquarters or their number, though it may be taken that the number is very small. There is not, in my view, any likelihood that agencies of this kind may be used for espionage purposes and I do not propose to take any action in the matter.
It is not the practice to state whether identifiable persons have or have not firearm certificates, and in this case I think it would be particularly undesirable to do so. No licence is required for the use of an armoured car.
Is the Minister aware that there is an Irish company composed of about 70 whole-time and part-time workers engaged in this work, and that an English company is muscling in on them and that they have an armoured car as a showpiece? The employment of these 70 people is in danger and will the Minister give us some assurance that he will consider protecting the Irish company?
Has the Minister an armoured car to protect himself?
I am aware that there is an Irish company engaged in providing a certain type of service and that recently an English company providing a similar service has commenced operations here, but I do not feel I can be called on to intervene in the situation. Both organisations are commercial organisations and the Irish company will have to look after itself, provided the other company obeys the law.
In ordinary trade, do we not protect Irish industries? This is an Irish industry that employs up to 100 old I.R.A. men, ex-Gardaí and ex-servicemen, and this other company is going to rub them out. Surely the Minister should come to the protection of the Irish company?
The analogy drawn by Deputy Sherwin is not correct. Any English company which decides to start a factory in this country would be given exactly the same facilities in regard to that factory as a similar Irish organisation. This English organisation has set up an organisation here and both organisations, as far as I can see, are in commercial competition. It would be wrong of the State, in any shape or form to come to the aid of one commercial organisation as against another.
It is not a question of investing money. They are investing men, not money.
