A security company, which attended the aftermath of an eviction in Roscommon nearly two years ago, has been fined.
GS Agencies Limited with an address at Portadown, Craigavon, Co. Armagh was found guilty of six branches of the Private Security Services Act.
The firm appeared before Castlerea District Court on Friday, October 16th, 2020.
Fines of €3,000
The prosecution by the PSA followed the provision of an unlicensed security guard service at Falsk, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon in December 2018.
Judge Deirdre Gearty fined the company €500 on each of six counts with costs of €7,500 awarded against the company.
Speaking following the court case, PSA chief executive, Paul Scallan, said: “This prosecution stems from investigations conducted around security services which were provided subsequent repossession of a property in Strokestown in 2018.”
“While the PSA does not have any statutory role in regulating repossessions, we do regulate any security services which occur post a repossession.”
No PSA licence
In this instance, Scallan added, a security guarding service was provided at a location in Falsk in the days following the repossession.
“Such services require a PSA licence and, in this instance, the security provider, GS Agencies Limited, was unlicensed.”
“I would like to acknowledge the commitment of our inspection team in investigating this matter. We are committed to eradicating unlicensed security services and our inspectors continue to conduct compliance activities across the county.”
The PSA, an agency of the Department of Justice and Equality, is responsible for the regulation and licensing of the security industry.
