THE NATIONAL AGENCY that regulates the trade of private security and doormen is to issue sanctions against nightclub doormen found to be operating without wearing the legally required identification during a random inspection last weekend.

Inspectors from the Private Security Authority (PSA) carried out a series of inspections on licenced premises in Dublin 1 on Friday night, and found that 3% of the door staff working when they visited were not registered with the Authority, as is legally required.

Furthermore, 30% of the staff operating were not wearing the legally prescribed identification. Most of these workers, the PSA said, were employed by security contractors rather than the venue itself.

In accordance with its usual procedure, the PSA said, it would be issuing sanctions against the offending workers. If any of the staff were found without their licence or the correct ID during future inspections, their licences would be suspended.

PSA chief executive Geraldine Larkin welcomed the rate of compliance with its regulations, with the number of working bouncers not registered with the authority far lower than the nationwide average of 10%.

She was disappointed with the lack of appropriate ID badges for 30% of the working doormen, however, commenting that the security contractors they worked for should have been fully aware of the ID requirements.

There are 24,688 bouncers in Ireland who are registered to work at licenced premises. Staff seeking to register with the authority are vetted by Gardaí before permitted to work in the sector.

Businesses found to be hiring staff without the appropriate licences are liable to fines of €3,000.