Sligo man convicted for false portrayal as a registered electrical contractor and carrying out illegal electrical works

Greum Na hEaradh with addresses at Ballinacarrow, Co. Sligo and also at Eskra, Omagh, Co.Tyrone was convicted at Sligo district Court on 12th October 2026 following a prosecution by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

The offences relate to illegal electrical work carried out at a home in Breeogue, Co Sligo while he was not registered with Safe Electric.Judge Brendan O’ Reilly imposed criminal convictions and ordered the defendant to pay €24,409 in fines, costs and witness expenses reflecting the seriousness of the offences. The Court heard evidence that the electrical work was unsafe and defective and had to be corrected by a registered electrical contractor. Evidence was also provided by the homeowner, a building contractor and CRU Electrical Investigation Officer Jonathan Clare. The safety failings included:

• Serious electric shock risks where bedroom sockets were not secured leaving exposed live parts. Further serious electric shock risk from a light switch which had no cover plate around it leaving exposed live parts. This would have had a particular danger as a person may be trying to locate the switch in the dark to turn on the light. Both of the above posed serious risks considering the family, including children, had moved into the home while these issues remained.
• There was also no fire-stopping installed above the electrical distribution board meaning that if a fire started in the board it would likely spread to the upper floors. These cables also lacked basic protection (eg. not installed within containment or buried within wall) which is in breach of the National Rules for Electrical Installations.
• The exposed live terminations and taped-up unterminated cables were exasperated by the distribution board having no labelling which made it difficult for the homeowners to identify and isolate circuits they were concerned about. This is also a breach of the National Rules for Electrical Installations.
  

It is illegal for a person or company to carry out Restricted Electrical Works or to falsely portray themselves as registered, unless they are a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) with the Safe Electric Scheme. There are approximately 4,000 Registered Electrical Contractors (RECs) in Ireland. By using a REC, consumers can have confidence that they are dealing with a trained professional who has the required expertise in electrical safety to ensure the safe operation of their electrical installation. The REC is insured, and a sample of their work is inspected by Safe Electric on an annual basis.

A REC must issue you with a completion certificate for electrical works carried out. The penalties for non-compliance for those caught undertaking restricted electrical works or falsely describing oneself as a REC can include a fine of up to €5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 6 months for each offence at District Court level. This can rise to €50,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 3 years on indictment in the Circuit Court.Members of the public who wish to report an unregistered individual who has undertaken electrical works or has portrayed themselves as a Registered Electrical Contractor should visit www.safeelectric.ie.

CRU’s Acting Director of Energy Safety Rory Mee said: “This case highlights the serious risks of using an electrician who is not registered. The unsafe and defective work put a family at risk of electric shock and fire. These convictions demonstrate the importance of the CRU's role in protecting the public and enforcing electrical safety standards. We urge customers to always check that their electrical contractor is registered with Safe Electric."