19th September 2016 Licensing of Locksmiths
The Private Security Authority (PSA) has today announced that, with effect from 1 February 2017, contractors providing security services as a locksmith will require a PSA licence. The extension of licensing to locksmiths is another landmark for the PSA, an independent statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality with responsibility for licensing and regulating the private security industry. The Authority has to date licensed contractors in the Alarm and CCTV monitoring, Cash-in-Transit, Event Security, Door Supervisor, Installer of Security Equipment, Private Investigator and Security Guarding Sectors.
Announcing the Regulations which were signed recently, the CEO of the PSA, Paul Scallan said: “The licensing of locksmiths follows a lengthy period of development work including consultation with the locksmith sector and other stakeholders. During that period, all concerned acknowledged the benefits of regulation and worked effectively to bring about licensing. I am confident that the introduction of these Regulations will protect the public from rogue operators and help to raise standards across the industry. Locks and keys are important security devices protecting our homes, businesses and vehicles yet we fail to recognise their importance in preventing crime. We should ensure that only those who are licensed to undertake this important work do so.”
The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D., together with the Chairman and Chief Executive of the PSA, recently co-signed the necessary Regulation to introduce licensing of Locksmiths. The Tánaiste also signed the necessary Commencement Order which means that it will be an offence for any contractor to offer a service as a locksmith without a licence after 1 February 2017.
In addition, only those licensed by the PSA will be able to advertise or represent themselves as a licensed Locksmith. It will also be an offence for a person to engage or employ an unlicensed Locksmith. The Authority maintains a register of both contractor and individual licence holders on its website, www.psa.gov.ie. The registers are a useful tool for business and the public who can ensure that their security provider is licensed by checking the details on the register at www.psa.gov.ie