Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

We need more than bluff and bluster from the Minister on this issue. We have heard a great deal of it in the House and on the media and perhaps we can now get some facts. The Minister had no difficulty identifying the culprits in a recent major bank robbery in Northern Ireland. In addition, in reply to a question from the media on what he intended to do about this issue he stated he would revoke the licences of the security industry. Suddenly, however, he realised the security companies did not have licences because he had not licensed them as he did not enact legislation in sufficient time to do so. What is the current position?

The Minister cannot allow any sector of the security industry to be self-regulatory now that legislation is in place and the Private Security Authority has been established. He cannot give the industry four months to get its house in order. The legislation prescribes and mandates that the Private Security Authority, established under law, provides standards and training——

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