Cybersecurity Policy
Dail Éireann — 2022-02-24
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Eamon Ryan (GP), Dublin Bay South

I agree with the Deputy on the risks in terms of crime as well as national security. It is vital that the Garda cyber unit, the NCSC and our Defence Forces cyber capabilities work. Each has a separate but co-ordinated role. The central co-ordinating role lies with the NCSC. It has to have the best expertise and contacts with international networks in order to assess risks and share knowledge and information. I saw that in evidence during the attack last May when there was a weakness in our system, which allowed an incursion into the health system. That system was particularly weak at the time because Covid had led to there being so many networked devices. While that weakness was regrettable, the State's response was quick, co-ordinated and collective. We need to ensure that the Garda, the Defence Forces and the NCSC work collectively. I am confident that they will.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2022-02-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:50:11+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-02-24