Private Security Services Act 2004

Interpretation.

2

2.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“advisory committee” means a committee appointed by the Authority under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1;

“Appeal Board” means the Private Security Appeal Board established under section 40;

“Authority” means the Private Security Authority established under section 6;

“Chief Executive” means the person appointed under section 10(1) as the chief executive officer of the Authority;

“corresponding authority” has the meaning given to it by section 42;

F1["county registrar" means a person appointed as such under section 35 of the Court Officers Act 1926;]

F2["court messenger" means a person appointed as such under section 4 of the Enforcement of Court Orders Act 1926;]

“director”, in relation to a body corporate, includes—

(a) any person occupying the position of director, by whatever name called,

(b) any person who effectively directs or has a material influence over the business of the body corporate,

(c) any person in accordance with whose directions or instructions the directors of the body corporate are accustomed to act, unless the directors are accustomed so to act by reason only that they do so on advice given by the person in a professional capacity, and

(d) where the affairs of the body corporate are managed by its members, any of the members who exercises the functions of such management;

“door supervisor” means a person who for remuneration, as part of his or her duties, performs any of the following functions at, in or in the vicinity of any premises or any other place where a public or private event or function is taking place or is about to take place:

(a) controlling, supervising, regulating or restricting entry to the premises or place,

(b) controlling or monitoring the behaviour of persons therein,

(c) removing persons therefrom because of their behaviour;

F2["enforcement guard" means a person other than a sheriff, county registrar or court messenger who for remuneration, as part of his or her duties, is authorised to perform any of the following functions:

(a) removing one or more persons from any premises or any other place in order to take possession of the premises or place,

(b) controlling, supervising or restricting entry by one or more persons to any premises or any other place in order to take possession of the premises or place, or

(c) seizing goods or other property in lieu of an outstanding debt,

which said authorisation is conferred by or under an enactment, pursuant to a court order, in accordance with an agreement or a consent, pursuant to a contract, or otherwise in accordance with the law;]

“functions” includes powers and duties, and references to the performance of functions include, as respects powers and duties, references to the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties;

“identity badge” has the meaning given to it by section 30;

“identity card” means a card issued under section 29;

“inspector” has the meaning given to it by section 14;

F3[installer of security equipment means a person

(a) in the course of a business, trade or profession, installs, maintains, repairs or services electronic or other devices designed, constructed or adapted to give warning of, or monitor or record unauthorised entry or misconduct on or in the vicinity of premises,

(b) in the course of a business, trade or profession, installs, maintains, repairs or services electronic or other devices designed, constructed or adapted to control or record access by persons or vehicles to or within premises by means of

(i) personal identity verification, including by means of biometrics,

(ii) vehicle identification,

(iii) numerical codes,

(iv) alphabetical codes,

(v) access or other card management, or

(vi) electronic key management,

or any combination of such means,

and includes a person who in connection with the provision of services referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) gives advice relating to the installation of such equipment or advice relating to the protection of such devices from damage or interference;]

“licence” means a licence to provide a particular security service specified by the Authority, and cognate words shall be construed accordingly;

“Minister” means the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform;

“person” includes a body corporate and an unincorporated body of persons;

“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Authority with the consent of the Minister;

“private investigator” means a person who F3[in the course of a business, trade or profession,] conducts investigations into matters on behalf of a client and includes a person who—

(a) obtains or furnishes information in relation to the personal character, actions or occupation of a person or to the character or kind of business in which a person is engaged, or

(b) searches for missing persons;

“private security employer” means a person who employs persons whose principal function is to provide security services for persons other than the employer;

“Register” means the Private Security Register established under section 33;

“relevant person” has the meaning given to it by section 42;

“remuneration” includes a benefit in kind but does not include any meal or refreshment provided in connection with the performance of a service;

“security consultant” means a person who F3[in the course of a business, trade or profession,] advises on methods of protecting property, including information recorded in non-legible form, from vandalism, intrusion, trespass, theft or from being otherwise damaged or interfered with but does not include—

(a) a person who advises on such methods in the ordinary course of carrying out an audit, or

(b) an installer of security equipment;

“security guard” means a person who for remuneration guards or patrols or provides any other protective services in relation to persons or property and includes a person who for those purposes—

(a) provides those services exclusively for an employer who is not a private security employer,

(b) monitors security equipment,

(c) supervises and inspects security guards while they are guarding or patrolling,

(d) accompanies a guard dog while the dog is guarding or patrolling, or

(e) controls, supervises, regulates, restricts or directs the movements of persons, whether in vehicles or otherwise, in relation to any premises or any other place where a public or private event or function is taking place or about to take place;

“security service” means a service provided by a private security employer or by any one of the following persons in the course of an employment or as an independent contractor (but, except in the case of a door supervisor or security guard, does not include a service provided by a person whose principal function is to provide it only for the person's employer):

(a) door supervisor,

(b) F3[installer] of security equipment,

(c) private investigator,

(d) security consultant,

(e) security guard,

(f) provider of protected forms of transport,

(g) locksmith,

(h) supplier or installer of F4[safes,]

F5[(i) enforcement guard.]

F1["sheriff" means a sheriff appointed by the Government under the Court Officers Act 1945.]

(2) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

(a) a reference to a section is a reference to a section of this Act,

(b) subject to paragraph (c), a reference to a subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or clause is a reference to a subsection, paragraph, subparagraph or clause of the provision in which the reference occurs, and

(c) a reference to a paragraph in a Schedule to this Act is a reference to a paragraph of that Schedule.

Annotations

Amendments:

F1

Inserted (22.07.2021) by Private Security Services (Amendment) Act 2021 (19/2021), s. 2(1)(a), S.I. No. 379 of 2021.

F2

Inserted (31.03.2023) by Private Security Services (Amendment) Act 2021 (10/2021), s. 2(1)(a), S.I. No. 139 of 2023.

F3

Substituted (22.06.2012) by Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 (23/2011), s. 6(a)-(d), S.I. No. 215 of 2012.

F4

Substituted (31.03.2023) by Private Security Services (Amendment) Act 2021 (10/2021), s. 2(1)(b)(i), S.I. No. 139 of 2023.

F5

Inserted (31.03.2023) by Private Security Services (Amendment) Act 2021 (10/2021), s. 2(1)(b)(ii), S.I. No. 139 0f 2023.