Dáil debates

Thursday, 1 June 2017

Other Questions

Information and Communications Technology

4:45 pm

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress made under the public service information and communications technology strategy; the amount of money spent on the strategy; the Departments to which it has been rolled out; if he is satisfied that the investment to date in 2017 has represented value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26202/17]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The number of very serious IT outages, which affected people's information in recent weeks and months, has highlighted the importance of a proper public service technology strategy, particularly given the amount of data and information it controls. I want to discuss with the Minister the progress of the strategy, what the Government is prioritising in terms of investment in the strategy and how it will impact.

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for the question. The public service ICT strategy was approved by Government and launched in January 2015, and is specifically aligned with the objectives of the public service reform plan and the goals of the Civil Service renewal plan. The strategy aims to provide a framework for the delivery of greater efficiencies in public service ICT delivery and administration, with better outcomes for citizens, businesses and public servants.

The strategy identified five key strategic objectives setting the future direction for innovation and excellence in ICT in the public service. These are build to share, digital first, data as an enabler, improve governance and increase capability.

The strategy encompasses all Departments, and the Department, through the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, OGCIO, is working with Departments to progress the 18 step action plan for the strategy, which the Government chief information officer agreed with the Civil Service management board in October last year.

The ICT advisory board meets quarterly to oversee the implementation of the strategy and action plan.  The action plan is fully mobilised and working groups are making good progress in each of the areas identified.

The Department has spent €9.7 million on implementing the strategy to the end of the first quarter of 2017 and I am satisfied that the investment to date in 2017 represents value for money. This expenditure represents both current and capital investment in building and supporting infrastructures such as the Government networks service and the build to share common applications and Government cloud platforms.

We will soon launch a digital portal to make it easier for citizens to find Government services online.

The Deputy may wish to note that, through the OGCIO, we are developing plans to rationalise the provision of infrastructure services across Government, thereby driving efficiency and strengthening newer areas of ICT provision, such as cyber security.

We also are planning for a highly energy efficient State data centre to host data and systems not suitable for hosting in the cloud.

In addition, we are examining options to professionalise the ICT resource across Government to ensure we maintain a sustainable and strong balance of internal and external input into the delivery of public services.

4:55 pm

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the security breaches that have occurred, what work is being done to ensure that citizens' information is protected to the highest degree possible? Is that a function of each Department or is it a function of the OGCIO? Second, the Minister of State referred to the cloud. How will he ensure, as we move towards cloud storage, that information contained in the cloud will be secure?

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The OGCIO is based in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is implementing a multi-layered approach to cyber security and protecting ICT systems, infrastructure and services. The threat landscape is constantly evolving and significant effort is expended on continuing to enhance and strengthen ICT security to mitigate against emerging threats, risks, vulnerabilities and cyber security issues. In addition to deploying intrusion protection systems, software vulnerabilities are managed by maintaining up-to-date versions. The OGCIO also continues to work closely with the national cyber security centre, NCSC. The NCSC is a division of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and encompasses the State's national governmental computer security incident response team.

In addition, as part of the public service ICT strategy, consideration is being given to the formation of a highly skilled cyber security team as a shared services model for Departments. Such an approach will give greater assurance to the Government and citizens on the security of the State's systems and data. As regards cloud computing, a public cloud model is being used. We have a private cloud model as well and we are developing a business plan for a national data centre for sensitive government information.

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to those models, what importance is being attached to the security of the information? Have there been any major or significant cyber attacks on a Department or on government information in the course of the last 12 months?

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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It is incredibly important that we can maintain the security of information and data that we host in government systems. That is the reason we are examining this proposed new model for a team to deal with specific cyber security threats and to resource that out across Departments.

As regards attacks made on the system over the last 12 months, there was a denial of service attack on a couple of Departments last summer. These are becoming more frequent. More recently, there was a problem with a malware virus system across some Departments but information is still being collated as to the source of that malware interruption. There is ongoing work taking place at present because of the increased threat of cyber security attacks not just in Ireland but across the world. This a key part of the strategy or focus of the OGCIO as it seeks to implement the new strategy for public service reform using data and ICT strategies that are already located within existing Departments. We are making sure that a common standard is being driven from the centre by the OGCIO in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.