Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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223. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if PSA door security licences will be extended without cost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28555/21]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Private Security Authority (PSA), established under the Private Security Services Act 2004, as amended, is responsible for the licensing and regulation of the private security industry in the State. The PSA is an independent statutory body under the aegis of my Department and I have no involvement in the day-to-day operations of the Authority.

During the course of 2020, the PSA engaged with my Department in respect of a proposal it had developed to revise the licence fee for contractors to take account of the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the security industry. As this proposal would have given rise to a significant reduction in exchequer fee income for the PSA, approval for the proposal was not forthcoming from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

My Department remains available to continue to engage with the PSA in this regard.