David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The main purpose of the Bill is to give effect to the provisions of Directive 2013/40/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 12 August 2013 on attacks against information systems which replaces Council Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA. For this and related purposes, the Bill also amends the Criminal Damage Act 1991, the Bail Act 1997 and the Criminal Justice Act 2011.

The Bill creates new offences relating to the unauthorised accessing of information systems, unauthorised interference with information systems or data on such systems, the unauthorised interception or transmission of data to or from information systems and the use of tools such as computer programmes, passwords or devices to facilitate the commission of these offences relating to information systems. Obviously, as this area is changing rapidly, it is very important that we keep up to date. The Bill is in response to this.