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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Private security pay and hours

Summary

Deputy Boyd Barrett condemned the DAA’s security recruitment terms and linked them to anger among low-paid private security workers. The Taoiseach said he would raise the matter with the DAA and supported a more worker-friendly approach.

The DAA, in order to deal with the deficit of private security which meant massively long queues in the airport over the weekend and likely to continue, is offering jobs where applicants have to be available for 40 hours per week but are only guaranteed 20 hours, coming out with €283. That is an absolute insult. It follows hot on the heel of meetings I have had with private security workers, of which there are 16,000 in this country. They will be organising a protest when the Dáil comes back on 27 April because they are so angry at the low levels of pay. These workers worked all during Covid on the front line. Their employers are resisting a miserable increase in the employment regulation order, ERO, to €12.05, which in any event is pathetic. This highlights how shockingly badly private security workers, who work everywhere including public transport, education, airports and hospitals, are paid. What does the Government intend to do about the shocking pay and conditions of private security workers?

Comment on this

I thank the Deputy. It is an important issue and I will raise with the DAA the assertions the Deputy has made about having to be available 40 hours to do 20 hours. There clearly should be a more worker-friendly approach than that. I will follow up.

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