Is a Monitored Alarm Worth It in Ireland?
If you’re weighing up whether to install a monitored alarm or to upgrade the bells-only box that came with your house, the real question isn’t whether an alarm makes a noise. It’s what happens next. This guide explains how monitoring actually works, what the Irish burglary figures tell us, and when the investment genuinely pays off for a homeowner.
Quick answer: is a monitored alarm worth it?
For most Irish homeowners, yes. A monitored alarm is worth it because someone is watching over your home around the clock even when you’re asleep, at work, or away, and can verify an activation and alert you, your nominated keyholders and, if necessary, the Gardaí or Fire Service. A standard “bells-only” alarm simply sounds a siren and relies on a passer-by to hear it and choose to act.
- A monitored alarm connects to a 24/7 monitoring station; an unmonitored one only sounds a siren.
- A total of 8,469 burglaries were recorded in Ireland in 2025, down from 9,748 in 2024 – an average of more than 23 a day.
- Gardaí warn that burglaries can rise by as much as 20% during the winter months, when daylight hours are lowest.
- Irish insurers typically offer 5-20% off home insurance for a verified monitored alarm.
- To qualify for insurance recognition and Garda response, a system must be installed by a PSA-licensed company.
What is a monitored alarm, and how is it different?
Before comparing cost or features, it helps to understand the three setups you’re really choosing between. Each handles an activation differently, and that difference matters most when nobody’s home.
A bells-only alarm is the most basic option. When triggered, it sounds a siren. There’s no notification, no verification, and no one dispatched. It relies entirely on someone nearby hearing it and deciding to do something about it.
A self-monitored system sends an alert to your phone when a sensor is triggered. You see the alert, you assess it, and you decide what to do. If your phone is on silent, out of battery, or you’re simply asleep, the alert goes unanswered.
A professionally monitored alarm connects your system to a 24/7 monitoring station. When an activation comes in, trained operators assess it and take action contacting you, your keyholders, and where necessary the emergency services. The crucial distinction is that verification and response happen whether you’re awake, available, or anywhere near the house.
What the Irish burglary figures actually show
The good news first: burglary in Ireland is falling. Burglaries fell by 13% in 2025, the first meaningful decline after three consecutive years of increases. That’s real progress, and Garda operations like the long-running Operation Thor deserve credit for it.
But the headline hides the details every homeowner should know. Even at 8,469 incidents, that’s still more than 23 homes broken into every single day. And the improvement isn’t universal: five Garda divisions recorded increases in 2025, including parts of the greater Dublin area.
How burglars get in is also revealing. Garda figures show that front and rear door access account for over half of reported burglary entrances, and unsecured doors and windows account for just over a quarter of entry points. In other words, a large share of break-ins exploit basic gaps – exactly the kind an integrated, monitored system is designed to close. Cash and jewellery make up roughly half of items stolen from homes, with tools and hardware accounting for around a fifth.
When is your home most at risk?
Timing is the weak point of any unmonitored alarm. Break-ins cluster in the dark evening hours, not the middle of the night. Garda analysis shows that the majority of winter burglaries happen on a Friday or Saturday between 4pm and 10pm – the window when homes sit empty and unlit while people are still out or travelling home.
That’s why An Garda Síochána runs its annual “Lock Up, Light Up” campaign each winter, and why Gardaí note that a home in darkness signals nobody is home, making it an easy target for the opportunistic burglar. A monitored system addresses the same seasonal risk from the other direction: if a sensor is triggered while you’re out, a real person responds within moments, no matter the hour.
What actually happens when a Network Security alarm goes off
This is where monitoring earns its keep and where Network Security differs from an off-the-shelf kit. Rather than depending on you to notice and manage an activation, the signal is handled at Network Security’s own monitoring station in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, staffed around the clock.
Here’s how that plays out. The moment a sensor is triggered, the internal siren sounds, running for up to 15 minutes, and the activation signal is sent to Network Security’s Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), the technical name for the monitoring station. If it’s you arriving home, a short grace period lets you disarm the system with your code or approved key fob, and the ARC deliberately holds its response for around 20 seconds during this window – a small but important step that stops everyday comings and goings from turning into a full callout. A deliberate activation is treated differently: press a panic button and the signal is transmitted immediately, with no delay.
What happens next depends on whether the activation is verified. For a verified activation, a genuine intrusion, the ARC notifies An Garda Síochána, and one of your nominated keyholders should be available to meet the Gardaí at the property. For a non-verified activation, the ARC contacts your keyholders. Every system is built to security grade 2, with battery backup that keeps it running for up to 24 hours if mains power is lost.
The practical upshot for you is simple: you’re never left to handle an activation alone. Whatever the hour, trained people are making these decisions and coordinating the response , not an app pinging a phone you might have on silent.
Backing this up is Network Security’s track record: over 30 years protecting Irish homes and more than 40,000 customers nationwide, with full ongoing maintenance and 24/7 technical support rather than a fit-and-forget installation.
Does a monitored alarm lower your home insurance?
Often, yes, and it can meaningfully offset the monthly cost. Most Irish home insurers offer a discount of 10-15% for homes with a monitored alarm installed by a PSA-licensed company, and the CCPC lists a monitored alarm among the discounts you may qualify for.
There are conditions. To qualify, systems typically must be certified to the Irish and European standard I.S. EN 50131 and fitted and maintained by a PSA-licensed contractor rather than a DIY kit. This is also a legal point, not just an insurance one: under Irish law, anyone who installs, services or monitors intruder alarms must hold a PSA licence, and using an unlicensed installer can mean your system isn’t recognised for insurance discounts or Garda response.
On that front, Network Security holds PSA licence number 05006 and is both NSAI and EQA certified, with systems designed to conform to the I.S. EN 50131-1 standard – exactly the credentials insurers and An Garda Síochána look for.
These are the sorts of requirements insurers commonly look for. For example, current Aviva/An Post policy wording requires an approved third-party monitored alarm, maintained in working order and connected to a 24-hour monitoring service.
What that means in money
If your home insurance was €600/year:
- 10% = €60 saving
- 12.5% = €75 saving
- 15% = €90 saving
- 20% = €120 saving
It’s always worth confirming the specifics with your own insurer, but the direction of travel is clear: a properly certified monitored system is the version insurers reward.
So, is a monitored alarm worth it for your home?
It comes down to when your home is most exposed and how you’d want an activation handled. If your house sits empty during the working day, if you travel, or if you’d rather not be the person deciding what to do about a 2am alert on your phone, professional monitoring is doing a job you can’t practically do yourself. Add in the insurance discount and the falling-but-far-from-zero burglary risk, and for most Irish homeowners the case is a strong one.
Ready to see what monitored protection would look like for your home? Network Security has protected Irish homes for over 30 years, with 24/7 monitoring from our own station in Rathcoole, professional installation typically completed in under 2.5 hours, and full app control of your system. Get a free, no-obligation quote today.
Frequently asked questions
Is a monitored alarm worth it in Ireland?
For most homeowners, yes. A monitored alarm connects to a 24/7 monitoring station that verifies activations and alerts you, your keyholders and the emergency services if needed, protection an unmonitored, bells-only alarm can’t provide. With Irish burglaries still averaging more than 23 a day and insurers offering discounts for monitored systems, the investment stacks up for most homes.
What’s the difference between a monitored and an unmonitored alarm?
An unmonitored (bells-only) alarm sounds a siren and relies on someone nearby hearing it and acting. A monitored alarm sends the activation to a 24/7 monitoring station, where trained operators assess it and coordinate a response including contacting the Gardaí or Fire Service – even when your home is empty.
Does a house alarm reduce home insurance in Ireland?
It can. Most Irish insurers offer a discount, typically in the 5-20% range, for a verified monitored alarm that meets the I.S. EN 50131 standard and is installed by a PSA-licensed company. Check your own policy, as conditions vary by insurer.
When are Irish homes most likely to be burgled?
Risk rises in winter, when Gardaí warn of up to a 20% increase due to darker evenings. Most winter break-ins occur on Friday or Saturday between 4pm and 10pm, when homes are empty and unlit.
Do I need a licensed installer for my alarm?
Yes. Under Irish law, any company that installs, services or monitors intruder alarms must hold a PSA (Private Security Authority) licence. A licensed installer is also required for your system to be recognised for insurance discounts and Garda response.
