Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their questions. I was asked about the establishment of the new national security analysis centre. By the end of quarter 2 of this year we anticipate having the following actions done: the appointment of the director of the national security analysis centre, which position has been advertised; identification and securing of premises; procurement of IT systems; staffing of the centre; and the signing of memorandums of understanding with the partner agencies, which are Garda intelligence, Army intelligence and the National Cyber Security Centre. This is very much a co-ordinating role bringing together the work of Garda intelligence, Army intelligence and the National Cyber Security Centre, but not seeking to undermine or control the work they do.

On the Defence Forces, I understand that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has received the Public Service Pay Commission report. The Minister is considering it and intends to bring it to Cabinet in the next couple of weeks. I understand it proposes increases in certain allowances that are unique to the Defence Forces, which may assist us in retaining more people in our Defence Forces - the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps. These will be in addition to pay restoration and pay increases that are already well under way.

The visit of President Trump has been confirmed. Of course free speech, free assembly and the right to protest are essential in any democracy and must be provided for. When we meet in Shannon in early June, it will be an opportunity for us again to discuss some important issues. I can once again explain why Ireland is so much in favour of the European Union and why we are committed to membership of the European Union. I will again try to make the case for a strong European-American partnership in trade, the economy and security. I am sure we will also discuss Brexit. Once again I will try to explain our perspective on Brexit and also our commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

On the electoral process and disinformation, we established an interdepartmental group in December 2017 to consider issues arising from recent experiences in other democracies with regard to the use and misuse of social media by external, anonymous or hidden third parties. The group's membership included Departments and organisations responsible for the relevant policy areas. Its first report was published in July 2018 and found that the risks to the electoral process in Ireland are relatively low but cannot be discounted. However, the spread of disinformation online and the risk of cyberattacks on the electoral system pose more substantial risks. This is in line with the European Commission's findings and recent international experience.

The report included a number of recommendations to close gaps and to offer a way forward. The report was brought to Government where it was noted. It was agreed to follow two next steps: the regulation of transparency of online political advertising and the expediting of the establishment of an electoral commission, which is long overdue. The report recommends that these matters be considered in the first instance by way of a consultation involving relevant stakeholders across industry, academia, political parties, the media and civil society.

A public consultation on the regulation of transparency of online political advertising was launched on 21 September, inviting submissions from all interested stakeholders. The submissions received provided the basis for the open policy forum on the issue held in December. The aim of the forum was to identify policy solutions that respect the right to freedom of expression and relevant EU law while promoting the transparency necessary to open political discourse in a democracy that would protect electoral processes from hidden influences and disinformation, and build trust in a democracy. The forum featured participation by a variety of speakers, including from the media and political spheres, online companies and digital platforms, the advertising industry, academics, civil society and the European Commission. The group, taking into account the discussions of the forum and the submissions received from the public consultation, is considering the next steps that need to be taken on the issue.

On EU level initiatives, the European Commission and the European External Action Service prepared a joint action plan on disinformation which was adopted in December. The action plan focuses on issues associated with disinformation activities and creating an integrated approach among EU institutions and member states. As part of its operational measures, the action plan has called for the formation of rapid alert systems anchored in each member state by a national contact point. This was established on 18 March and has three key functions: a clear system for alerts and notifications on disinformation, the ability to share analysis and trends, and the facilitation and exchange of best practice and lessons learned.

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