William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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442. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he is taking to implement the Private Security Authority Strategic Plan 2026-2028, including ensuring sufficient resources, expanding licensing, enforcing compliance against unlicensed providers, and raising public awareness; and if his Department will commit to publishing regular updates so the public can track progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68154/25]

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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443. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality whether the Private Security Authority has sufficient staffing, financial, and technological resources to meet the objectives of its Private Security Authority Strategic Plan 2026-2028; if additional resources will be allocated; and the way in which his Department plans to support the PSA in modernising and streamlining regulatory functions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68155/25]

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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444. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the specific strategies being developed to raise public awareness of the risks posed by unlicensed private security providers; how the Private Security Authority will measure the effectiveness of its communications strategy; the enforcement actions planned to ensure compliance with licensing requirements over the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68156/25]

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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445. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which the Private Security Authority plans to engage with private security industry stakeholders to strengthen professional standards; the mechanisms that will be in place to ensure industry cooperation in compliance initiatives; the way in which this collaboration will contribute to improved public safety outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68157/25]

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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446. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality whether the Department or the PSA will publish periodic reports on the implementation of the Strategic Plan; the key performance indicators will be used to assess success; and how members of the public will be kept informed of progress in licensing, compliance, and regulatory improvements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68158/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 442 to 446, inclusive, together.

The Private Security Authority (PSA) is the statutory body with responsibility for licensing and regulating the private security industry in Ireland. Last month, I launched the 2026–2028 Strategic Plan of the Private Security Authority, which sets out the PSA’s goals for the next three years.

Annual funding for the PSA is determined as part of the Estimates process for the Justice sector. As part of the overall governance arrangements between the PSA and my Department, annual performance delivery targets are agreed, monitored and appraised between the parties. I am advised by the PSA that its Board will review and monitor progress on the Strategic Plan 2026-2028 at Board meetings, and the PSA will, in its Annual Reports, publish progress each year against the goals set out in the Strategic Plan.

Over the term of the Plan, I am further advised the PSA will promote professional standards and practice improvement by working in partnership with the industry to continuously enhance professional competence, standards, and compliance. This will include identifying the scope for enhancement in both assessing licence holder suitability and undertaking probity checks and in the auditing assessment and certification process. The PSA will work to update standards where updates are needed and will review standard development processes to make them more efficient.

The PSA also aims to raise public awareness by developing a new communications strategy, and through initiatives such as increasing participation in multi-agency inspections. The success of these strategies will be measured by the implementation of annual business plans with performance targets. The PSA will continue to utilise social media platforms, regular newsletters, and the PSA website to communicate relevant updates and information to the public and to provide a point of contact for enquiries.

Over the timeframe of this plan, officials in my Department will work closely with the PSA in the introduction of new ICT systems to transform the way the PSA licences, regulates, and produces and uses management information. In tandem with the introduction of the new technology, the PSA plans to systematically identify and deploy solutions to enhance its administrative efficiency through process redesign, ICT enablement and effective system integration. Under the Strategic Plan 2026-2028, the PSA has also committed to examine ICT and AI solutions to better target inspections, streamline inspection processes, and to improve both inspection capacity and reporting.