Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 49:

In page 45, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following: "(2) The Commission may, and shall when requested by the Minister, create an advisory board to advise the electoral commission on Cyber Threats.".

Notwithstanding the high level of expertise within the Department, the cyber threat is an evolving threat. At the best of times, no organisation or Department has the technical know-how and skills to countenance such a situation. I appreciate that the term "cyber threats" is broad. As for what Deputy McAuliffe intended by that, it is clear that he is probably looking at outside interference in the run-in to a polling day. It is certainly something that needs to be taken on board by the Commission. Deputy McAuliffe asked me not to press the amendment, but suggested that the matter to which it relates be given consideration in the context of the ever-expanding work of the commission.