Hundreds of security companies have so far failed to sign up to strict new standards for the industry, the Private Security Authority (PSA) said today.
The PSA, which began work in July, said so far only a quarter of the estimated 400 companies in the industry had applied for the required standard.
If the companies do not reach the required standard by April next year, they will not be allowed to provide guarding services for bars, nightclubs and industry.
"These standards will take work so there's a lot of in-house work to be done before they can achieve that standard and get a licence," said PSA chief executive Geraldine Larkin. "If they don't have a licence by April 1 they are liable for prosecution, and the penalties range from fines of €3,000 to imprisonment for five years."
The security industry had campaigned for the PSA and its strict licensing standards to eliminate the criminal element in the security business and to force out operators who are paying workers below the minimum wage.
Ms Larkin said the companies had been told about the requirement and needed to abandon their head-in-the-sand attitude.
Once the PSA has completed its licensing of companies in the security sector, it plans to develop standards and licenses in
other industries, including cash-in-transit deliveries, alarm installers and private investigators.
PA