Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the national cybersecurity strategy mid-term review acknowledges, the security and resilience of network and information systems are vital for Ireland's continued security and prosperity. Critical national infrastructure and essential services rely on complex systems and data flows which are vulnerable to attack by cyber criminals and other sophisticated actors, as we saw recently in Munster Technological University, MTU.

Under the Commission's cybersecurity strategy for the digital decade, the EU has pledged to quadruple its investment in cybersecurity. There are now 489 cybersecurity firms operating in this State. It is the is IT infrastructure of Departments and State bodies that remain of significant concern. Annual investment in this area has been woefully underdeveloped and its infrastructure is now vulnerable. Funding for the National Cyber Security Centre has increased but without significant ramping up of the technology delivering modern integrated networks across the public sector, what is happening is, in effect, building a house without foundation. Will the Taoiseach outline the whole-of-government approach to addressing the investment and technology deficits that remain across large sections of the public service and the planned budgetary investment for the remainder of the term of this Government?

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