asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider the introduction of some system of registration for private security firms.

25.

asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider the introduction of some form of registering procedures for firms installing burglar alarms.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 25 together.

Various suggestions for the introduction of some system of registering or licensing private security firms have been put to my Department from time to time. Some such proposals seem designed only to exclude persons with a criminal record involving dishonesty while others go further and seem to imply that standards of competence would be enforced. The setting and enforcement of standards of competence would, I believe, be a difficult task in practice, all the more so since different firms offer different ranges of services. I am, however, having the whole matter examined and I propose to include in the examination the position of firms installing burglar alarms.

When will the Minister have those proposals before the House?

I cannot say.

Will the Minister be putting the matter on the long finger? Will he agree that there is a grave risk element here where there is a laissez faire system in relation to the security situation?

I believe that the existing situation merits examination and I propose to have this carried out.

I am afraid that the Minister's long finger is very long.

At least in my book it merits examination, but in my predecessor's it did not. There are some people beside the Deputy who were on the Front Bench in the previous Administration. If my finger is long it is because I propose to try and do something about some of the things nothing was done about.

(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister has two long thumbs and long fingers.

I have two to spare.