Govt to regulate private security firms

The Minister for Justice, John O’Donoghue, has just published new rules to govern private security, including door security at bars and nightclubs. The move comes amid reports that a large number of bouncers are unregulated and do not work for proper security firms.

Minister O’Donoghue has this afternoon published the private security services bill which has been drawn up following concern about the types of people providing security at a number of locations throughout the country. One of the main functions of this bill will be to set up authority to police the industry. Anyone who wants to provide services, such as bouncers for nightclubs or a private detective agency, will have to be licensed. The minister says it will be an offence to operate a service without a licence or to provide false information to acquire such a licence. It is estimated there are about 400 firms operating at the moment employing 15,000 people.