Private security licences at record high
The annual report of the Private Security Authority (PSA) shows that a record number of 43,958 individuals held licences from the watchdog by the end of 2025.
This represented an increase of 5.5% from the 41,679 recorded in 2024 – also a record.
The total number of licences, which includes individuals who may have licences in more than one regulated sector, also increased to a new record of 52,977.
By the end of 2025, the PSA had licensed 1,643 contractors with a 10% higher turnover of just under €1.18 billion.
'Strong demand'
Writing in the authority’s annual report, chair Jillian van Turnhout and chief executive John Phelan pointed out that licences issued to individuals lasted for three years and those issued to contractors for two years.
Last year was one in which the peaks for individual and contractor licensing renewals coincided, creating “an exceptionally high volume of work”.
The chair and chief executive said that, as well as renewals, there were significant numbers of applications for first-time licences, reflecting “a continued strong demand for security services in the economy”.
Refusals
The report shows that PSA inspections teams visited over 2,200 business premises all around the country during 2025.
The authority refused 168 employee applications – up from 107 the previous year.
As in 2024, the main reasons for refusals were the failure to participate in the garda vetting process or the result of convictions disclosed following Garda vetting.
The 2025 figure also included 42 refusals linked to the submission of invalid training documents.
Training
The regulator revoked the licences of six contractors and 243 individuals. This was a sharp rise from the previous year’s 42, reflecting “significant work done to verify training results”.
Two contractors and ten individuals had their licences suspended for a period.
The PSA also issued 43 enforcement notices and brought a successful prosecution in court.
The prosecution was against an individual found providing security-guard services without a licence.
The individual pleaded guilty to 11 counts and was fined a total of €2,200, with costs of €3,983.90 also awarded.