Hourly rate of pay for security sector workers to increase: Minister Emer Higgins

The statutory minimum wage rate for security sector workers will increase from €12.90 to €14.50 an hour. Minister Higgins has approved a new labor control order for workers in the security industry.

Minister for New Labor Control Order for Security Industry Workers Eamer Higgins TD, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, has confirmed his intention to sign the new Labor Control Order for the security industry.

The order for the new ERO will start on 1 July 2024 and from that date workers in the sector will be paid a new minimum wage rate of €14.50 an hour. This will supersede the ERO order which came into effect in the sector on 4 September 2023 (Sector on 4 September 2023 – SI 424 of 2023). The new order aims to increase the minimum wage rate for senior workers in the sector from €12.90 to €14.50. A minimum payment of €12.60 per shift including the Unsocial Hour Premium and €16.80 per shift from 1 January 2025

It provides terms and conditions for workers in the security industry in a number of sectors with an increase of €20.00 per shift from 1 January 2026.

Announcing the new employment regulation order, the minister said.

“I am pleased to announce this new Employment Regulation Order which provides for an increase in the minimum wage rate for security sector workers. The statutory minimum wage rate for workers in this sector will increase from €12.90 to €14.50 an hour.

“I greatly appreciate the difficult and important work that workers in the security industry undertake. These workers often face personal risks to ensure public safety. I also recognize that security is an area that has undergone significant professionalization in recent years, requiring training and qualifications to fulfill their roles.

“I strongly support the state's collective bargaining and wage-setting mechanisms and the important work of Joint Labor Committees in setting labor control orders. I would like to thank the members of the Joint Labor Committee for Security and the Labor Court for their work in passing this Employment Regulation Order.