Most security contracts look similar on paper. The differences show up later: when an officer does not turn up, when nobody answers the phone at night, or when you discover the company was cheaper because it was cutting corners. These ten questions help you find out before you sign.

1. Is the company licensed by the PSA, for this service?

Every security contractor in Ireland needs a licence from the Private Security Authority, and licences are issued by type of work. A company licensed to install alarms is not automatically licensed to supply guards or event security. Ask for the licence number and check it on the PSA register. Our guide to checking a PSA licence shows how.

2. Are the officers individually licensed?

Each security guard must also hold an individual PSA licence. Ask how you can check the officers placed on your site, and expect them to show their licence when asked.

3. Can I see your insurance?

Ask for current certificates for public liability and employer's liability insurance, and check the cover is suitable for your site.

4. Will you visit the site before quoting?

A company that quotes without seeing your premises is guessing. A site visit shows how the building is used, where the risks are and what the officers will actually need to do.

5. Will I get written instructions for my site?

Officers should work to written assignment instructions agreed with you: duties, patrol times, who may enter, emergency contacts and what to do in specific situations. Ask to see an example.

6. How will I know what happened on each shift?

Ask how shifts, patrols and incidents are recorded and how quickly you will receive reports. Proof of patrol visits matters as much as the visits themselves.

7. Who supervises the officers, and who answers at night?

Officers working alone, often at night, need support. Ask who checks on them, how often, and whether there is a control room answering at any hour. Then ring the number at 2am and see.

8. Do you pay the legal rates?

Pay in the security industry is set by an Employment Regulation Order. From 28 September 2026 the minimum is €16.15 an hour for an adult security officer, with premiums for unsocial hours. A quote that seems too cheap usually means something is missing. Our article on what a security guard costs explains what goes into the hourly rate.

9. What happens when an officer is sick or on holiday?

Ask how cover is arranged and how quickly. A good company has trained relief officers who already know your site, rather than sending a stranger who has never seen it.

10. How quickly can you respond, honestly, for my address?

For alarm response and patrols, distance matters. A company that promises the same response time everywhere in Dublin is not being straight with you. Ask for a realistic expectation for your address at night and at the weekend.

A note on contracts

Read the notice period and the terms for changing hours. Security needs change, for example when a building site moves to a new phase, and the contract should let the cover change with it.

We are happy to answer every one of these questions before you decide. Read how we work, see our security guards in Dublin, or ask us for a quote.