Security Gates in Ireland
A security gate is a palisade or mesh gate built to match the fence, from a 1.2 m pedestrian gate to a double vehicle gate for lorries. If it's automatic, it counts as machinery: it needs a CE mark, and in a gap of 50 to 500 mm it may press no harder than 400 N.
Swing or sliding, manual or automatic, and what the law asks of a gate that moves by itself.
Free, no obligation. One local contractor prices it, not five.
- 1.2 ma typical pedestrian gate
- 400 Nthe most an automatic gate may press in a 50–500 mm gap
- 0.75 sto drop to 150 N or less
- 10 yearsthe gate's technical file must be kept
Security fencing as fitted
Real fences, photographed where they stand: palisade and mesh.
Which gate suits the entrance?
Is a swing or a sliding gate better for security?
Both are as strong as the fence when they're built to match it. A sliding gate needs no room to swing and suits slopes and tight entrances; a swing gate is simpler and costs less to automate.
| Gate | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Single swing (one leaf) | Pedestrian gates and narrow vehicle entrances | Needs a clear, level arc to open |
| Double swing (two leaves) | Yards and depots, wide entrances | Drop bolts and a centre stop to stop it being forced |
| Sliding on a track | Long flat entrances | The track fills with grit and ice |
| Cantilever sliding | Slopes, gravel, busy entrances | Needs a run of fence beside it for the gate to slide along |
Hinges should be welded or anti-lift, so the leaf can't be lifted off. The lock should sit in a shrouded box, so it can't be cut from outside.
What does the law ask of an automatic gate?
A powered gate is machinery under Directive 2006/42/EC, which S.I. No. 407 of 2008 brings into Irish law. A gate built on site has a "manufacturer" too: whoever designs it and picks the parts, usually the installer.
- CE mark and paperwork. A clear CE mark on the gate, a Declaration of Conformity, instructions, and a technical file kept for at least 10 years.
- Force limits (EN 12453). No more than 400 N where the gap is 50 to 500 mm, 1,400 N where it's wider, dropping to 150 N or less within 0.75 seconds.
- Safety devices. Safety edges that reverse the gate on contact, photocells, guarded rollers and drives, and an emergency release.
- A log. Whoever manages the property keeps a record of maintenance and force tests.
At a workplace, the employer answers for the gate under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The Health and Safety Authority's guidelines on the safety of powered gates set it all out.
What moves the price of a gate?
Width and height first, then palisade or mesh, galvanised or powder-coated, swing or sliding, and whether it's automated. Automation adds the motor, the safety edges, the photocells and the commissioning tests.
Typical supply prices for pedestrian and vehicle gates are in our price guide. The fitted price comes after a look at the entrance: the ground, the posts and the power supply.
More on fencing
Every fence is measured and priced on site.
Palisade fencingSteel pales, pointed tops, the heavy deterrent. €330 a 2.75 m section.Palisade →
Mesh fencingWelded mesh panels: see-through, hard to climb. From €25 a metre.Mesh fencing →
V mesh fencingFolded panels for schools, offices and frontages.V mesh →Temporary site fencingPanels on feet for building sites. €44–€63 a panel.Site fencing →Get a fencing price in 4 quick taps
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Security Fencing guides & price breakdowns
Straight answers to what people ask most: itemised costs, specifications, planning or grants, and what to check before you book.
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Questions we get asked
Do I need an automatic gate?
Not for security: a manual gate locked with a shrouded lock is as secure. Automate it if the gate opens many times a day or staff open it from a vehicle.
Is a sliding gate more secure than a swing gate?
Not in itself. Strength comes from the frame, the infill, the hinges or rollers and the lock. A sliding gate suits slopes and tight entrances.
Who is responsible if an automatic gate hurts someone?
At a workplace, the employer and whoever manages the property, as well as the installer who commissioned it. Keep the CE paperwork and the maintenance log.
Can you add a gate to an existing fence?
Yes. The contractor matches the infill and height, and sets new gate posts in concrete: gate posts carry far more load than fence posts.
Does a gate need planning permission?
Usually, above 1.2 m. On business and industrial land, a new fence is exempt only up to 1.2 m, or the height of the fence it replaces, and never over 2 m. On rural land, the limit is 2 m (not sheet metal). A 2.4 m palisade is over both, so it normally needs permission. Ask the council for a Section 5 declaration if you're not sure.
Who comes out?
One vetted fencing contractor who covers your county. Your number isn't sent to a list. They ring you, ask about the site, usually arrange a look, and give you a written quote. Nothing is ordered until you say yes.
Security Fencing across all 26 counties
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One contractor who covers your county rings you, usually within one working day. Nothing is ordered until you say yes.