Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is an issue for which we in Ireland have a particular responsibility because the headquarters of many of the large multinational data centres are located here. This is their home address, whether or not all their activity happens here. This puts a huge onus on the State, in a European context and probably in a worldwide context as well, to act appropriately on this issue. My understanding is that some good work has been done in this respect. The Data Protection Commission has come under criticism in the past for its slow and lethargic way of dealing with complaints, issues and problems. Those complaints have not just come from within the State; they have been international. We need to acknowledge that. While I welcome the additional funding, it needs to be kept under review. This clearly is an area we will need to beef up considerably.

I am concerned about the issue of data kidnapping, an incidence of which took place this week, whereby hackers take people's data and hold the entities responsible for those data to ransom. It has happened with the HSE and now with a higher educational facility, the latter coming under the remit of the Minister in his other Department. Does he believe we will be able to get to a situation whereby we can meet our international requirements in this regard? To date, we have not been able to get there.

A spin-off issue concerns the cameras that are in operation in various buildings around the country, including this one, about which there has been some controversy recently. I am not concerned as to their country of origin or whatever. My concern is the security of the data. If the information stored by the State may be vulnerable, we must take adequate action to ensure it is secure. I would like to hear the Minister's view on this, particularly in regard to the cameras in Leinster House. Will he indicate whether the particular company and set of systems that came under attack have been used by other State agencies or in other buildings around the country? In some instances, the information may be even more delicate than what might be seen by the cameras in this place. To my knowledge, there is not that much happening in the corridors of Leinster House to excite anybody in Russia, China or anywhere else. However, there may be other agencies of the State and certain Departments about which we should possibly be more concerned. Having said that, it is appropriate that something should be done to ensure the security of the Leinster House system.