An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir July/August 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 24 | by SGT WAyNE FITzGERALD A ll soldiers, sailors and aircrew are taught basic security drills when undergoing their recruit/ apprentice training, and with progres- sion through the ranks, responsibili- ties increase. Personnel carry out regular duties, securing locations like barracks, comms centres, armouries, ships, etc. The DF also conducts specialist security cours- es, such as the Defence Intelligence and Security Course (DISC), which although mainly dealing with intelligence accu- mulation and dissemination also looks at assessing and ensuring the security of military installations. It is hardly surprising given the above, that many personnel leaving the De- fence Forces looking for a new career are drawn to the security industry. Former soldiers have got jobs as everything from static guards, retail security operatives, door supervisors, CCTV operators, and close-protection operatives, up to security consultants. Some, with CIS backgrounds, have taken up jobs in cyber security. These days, in order to work in the private security sector you must be licensed and trained. This has opened another area of opportunity within the industry. One prominent Irish security and risk management company that conducts training and certification in this area is Global Risk Solutions, based in Athlone, Co Westmeath, and with an international office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The CEO is Danny Cluskey, a former member of the Army Ranger Wing. I met with Danny and some of the directors to get the low down on what Global Risk Solutions is all about. The first thing Danny stressed was the benefits of military service. "As soon as people learn you are a former soldier, they take notice," he said, "because they associate it with good discipline, good time-keeping and reliability." He went on to point out that having served with the Irish Defence Forces carries even more weight. "We are recognised as being among the best in the world," he says, "even though we tend to undersell ourselves. This high standard applies to all ranks: we all know how to follow instructions, how to present ourselves well, and we know about hierarchy and manners." Danny then went on to tell me about the background to the company. "We set up Global Risk Solutions in 2007. We have been running security courses since 2009 and we are City & Guilds and Quality and Qualifica- tions Ireland (QQI) accredited trainers." (QQI is the independent State agency responsible for promoting quality and accountability in education and train- ing services in Ireland and has taken over the functions formerly carried out by HETAC, FETAC, NQAI, and IUQB.) "In order to obtain a Private Security Authority (PSA) licence," Danny contin- ued, "you need a QQI certificate, which is obtained on completion of a recog- nised training course. The PSA, which is the statutory body with responsibility for licensing and regulating the private security industry in Ireland, doesn't run training courses; these are provided by registered training providers validated by QQI, such as (The Security Institute

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