Security firms ignoring quality standards

More than half of the State's private security companies do not conform to any quality standards and more than 40 per cent are not even affiliated to an umbrella organisation, a survey of the sector by Lansdowne Market Research has found.

Some firms do not have a contact address or landline phone number and are only contactable on one mobile phone. Many companies are also ignoring legislation in relation to hours worked by employees and rates of pay.

The Irish Security Industry Association, which commissioned the study, said it "just beggars belief" that companies would hire security providers who are unable to certify vetting, training, supervision and accountability.

The association's president, Mr Les McLindon, said the lack of vetting of security workers was worrying given that many of them spend more time on the premises of the companies they are contracted to than the client company's own employees.

"The security industry now engages close to 20,000 employees at different levels in every city and major town in the country. The overall turnover is estimated to be in excess of €350 million annually. This is big business and yet we have large sections of it that are not in a position to deliver standards and services".

He added some companies operating in the sector were doing so at a risk to themselves. The introduction of a licensing system for operators should help regulate the industry, but only if the planned Private Security Authority functioned properly.

The authority is expected to be operational in the first half of next year. It is one of the main elements of the Private Security Bill which was introduced to bring a much greater degree of regulation into the sector.

The survey of the companies was conducted by telephone interview. A total of 68 security companies took part. Some 44 per cent of those firms surveyed were members of the ISIA, 24 per cent were members of the National Union of Security Employers, and some were members of both organisations. However, 43 per cent of firms were not affiliated to any umbrella organisation.

Almost all of those questioned, 94 per cent, said they believed some firms were operating in a manner which was "giving the industry a bad name" and 75 per cent believed the industry was poorly regulated in comparison to others.