Self-regulation plan for security firms criticised

Self-regulation will not go far enough to force the security industry to improve its procedures for transporting cash, it was claimed today.

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell told industry representatives at a crisis meeting yesterday that they had a 120-day deadline to agree a voluntary code of practice or he would impose legal standards.

He was forced to take decisive action after Wednesday’s €2.7m robbery of a Brinks Allied van after its driver stopped to buy coffee at a petrol station in Artane. It was the second heist involving a cash transit firm in north Dublin in over two weeks.

The Labour Party said past experience has proven that self-regulation does not work in any profit-driven sector and such robberies would not be permitted in other countries.

“There is no basis for assuming that self-regulation for the security industry will be any more successful than it was in other areas,” said Justice spokesman Joe Costello.

Labour said Mr McDowell should use the Private Security Authority to revoke industry licences if minimum standards are not complied with.

“The minister should scrap proposals for self-regulation and now ensure that the Authority is given the resources to implement the powers in the Private Security Services Bill which include the licensing of security companies, the setting of standards and the monitoring of security services generally.”

Mr Costello said that an unnecessary three-year delay in enacting the Bill meant that the chief executive of the new Private Security Authority was only appointed two months ago.

“As a consequence, the private security sector – which is larger in personnel terms than the combined strength of the Gardaí and Defence Forces – has remained unregulated. Ireland has been the only country in Europe to permit this situation.”

He said that the response from gardaí to the “new generation of armed gangs robbing at will” has been poor because of insufficient resources.