Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In addition to large-scale cyberattacks from abroad, cybercrime is on the rise. According to Garda reports, it increased by 150% during the pandemic, costing billions of euro in 2020. Unfortunately, many people caught by online scams do not report it to the Garda, so the costs could be much higher. The attractions of cybercrime for criminals are many, as the rewards can be higher and the risk of getting caught are lower. Even criminals not involved in cybercrime are using encryption to hide their activities and cryptocurrencies to store and move money, making it harder for the Garda to track.

The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau is struggling to recruit cyber experts due to competition from the private sector, which is paying much higher salaries in a competitive market. Is the bureau working with the NCSC or do they work independently of each other? Are there enough resources going into both to protect our State and citizens?

See this speech in context