James Browne

The bill allows the Government to bring the regulation and licencing of security personnel assisting those enforcing court orders for evictions and repossessions within the remit of the Private Security Authority (PSA).

James Browne, minister of state for law reform, said: “I am very pleased that this important Bill has completed all stages in the Oireachtas. The principle objective of this Bill is to insert a new category of ‘enforcement guard’ in the list of private security services licensed by the Private Security Authority under the 2004 Act.

“The definition and insertion of this additional category of an enforcement guard will now address a gap in the legislation whereby those enforcing court orders are not currently subject to regulation or licensing by the Private Security Authority. This is important and will ensure that these services are appropriately regulated going forward”.

Bringing enforcement guards within the remit of the PSA will require them to obtain a licence to operate and ensure that they are subject to the training standards and licensing regime operated by the PSA.

While the clarification of the position of enforcement guards is the key objective of this legislation, the opportunity was also taken to make a number of other amendments to the existing legislation.

The bill will also make a number of additional amendments including allowing the PSA to refuse to renew a licence, or suspend or revoke a licence of a body corporate for the actions of its members, making the register of licensed persons available for inspection free of charge to members of the public and introduces an offence of “impersonating an inspector” of the Authority.

Mr Browne added: “We know that already challenging circumstances have been put under further strain by this lack of regulation and I am pleased that we are able to bring clarity to this element of a difficult situation.

“Court orders obviously have to be upheld but they need to be upheld, if necessary, by persons who are properly regulated, who are identifiable and who have been trained.

“This new legislation is proof of this government’s commitment to promote and ensure best practice in the industry.”