IF YOU EMPLOY AN UNLICENSED PROVIDER OF INTRUDER ALARM INSTALLATION OR ALARM MONITORING CENTRE SERVICES YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW!
The Private Security Authority (PSA), established under the Private Security Services Act 2004, is the regulatory body for the private security industry.
Under the Act, licences are now compulsory for private security contractors providing Intruder Alarm installation or Alarm Monitoring services. Contractors include companies, partnerships and sole traders.
Contractors providing Intruder Alarm installation or Alarm Monitoring services without a licence are breaking the law.
Similarly, any person employing an unlicensed Intruder Alarm or Alarm Monitoring company, is also breaking the law and faces penalties ranging from a €3,000 fine up to 5 years imprisonment.
In order to obtain a licence from the Private Security Authority, the security provider must prove compliance with national standards and be a fit and proper person to work within the industry.
Along with the appropriate application licence fee, a contractor applying for a PSA licence must present the following:
- Evidence of having attained the required standard (EN50131 for Intruder Alarm installers / IS228 for Alarm Monitoring Centres)
- Tax Clearance Certificate
- Certificate of Incorporation of a Company
- Certificate of Business name, where trade name is not that of owner
- Auditor’s Turnover Certificate where the applicant is a company
- Completed Criminality Checking Authorisation forms
A licence granted by the PSA is for a two-year period from the date of issue. The PSA can, at any time, suspend or revoke a contractor’s licence, if the contractor fails to comply with the conditions of the licence.
IN ORDER TO CHECK IF A COMPANY IS LICENSED YOU CAN CHECK THE PSA REGISTER OF LICENSEES – WWW.PSA.GOV.IE