Crackdown on bouncers ‘not a moment too soon’

THE father of a man who died after being restrained by nightclub security staff has welcomed a new crackdown on unlicensed bouncers at pubs and clubs.

Under new rules being implemented by the Private Security Authority (PSA), publicans or nightclub owners who employ security staff not licensed with the PSA face €3,000 fines or up to 12 months in prison, if they flout new laws governing security at licensed premises.

“It’s not a moment too soon,” said Andrew Moynihan, whose son Adrian, 23, was found to have died as a result of being restrained by staff at a Cork City nightclub in 2001.

Mr Moynihan, who recently settled a civil action taken against the owners of the nightclub, said he hoped the new security staff restrictions would prevent other families from going through what he and his wife and children had suffered.

“There are too many things happening with nightclubs and untrained staff. It’s very important to have this. There are cases coming up because of people who have been maimed or lost their lives and I can identify with that. How long are we waiting for something like this?” he said yesterday.

Nobody was ever prosecuted in the criminal courts as a result of the death of Adrian Moynihan, prompting his family to take the civil case.

Following the recent introduction of the new rules, all door staff must have the correct training and must be registered with the PSA.

“People will have to toe the line and, if they don’t, they’ll get prison or a big fine,” added Mr Moynihan.

Inspections of licensed premises nationwide got under way yesterday, with fines and possible prosecutions promised by the authority, in cases where licenses haven’t been issued or applications made for licenses by April 1, when licensing became mandatory.

According to PSA licensing director Paul Scallan, 16,614 applications were received up to July 13, with over 5,000 of those coming after the April 1 deadline.

However, with all applications having to go through the Garda Vetting Unit, it could take several months to get through the process.

“There was no regulation before and no training and this is something the industry has been looking for,” said Mr Scallan.

As well as being vetted by the Garda, all security staff will also now have to have FETAC training.

“This should raise the standard and make it more professional and give the public confidence.”

He stressed that it is up to private security firms to ensure their staff are licensed, and up to pubs and nightclubs who contract such firms that all personnel have the necessary licences, or have at least applied to the PSA.

Security companies themselves have been the subject of inspections over the last year or so, and now the spotlight is falling on publicans.

* www.psa.gov.ie

Application the statistics

* 22% (3,606) of applicants for the new security licences are from door supervisors at licensed premises.

* 75% (12,405) are for security guard licences.

* 3% (538) of applicants applied for both sectors.

* Just 4% (686) of applicants for the new security licences are women.

* Applications have been received from 95 different nationalities — 65% of applicants are Irish, 8% are Polish, 4.5% Nigerian and 3.5% British.