Results 281-300 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: It has. It was at a dozen four years ago and we now have a headcount of 29. It will increase over the coming years. In 2017 it was 12 people, in 2019 it was 22 people and it is 29 in 2021. The capacity review projects an increasing number of staff over the coming four years. We must remember they are a very small number of the staff involved in cybersecurity in Ireland. Throughout the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The response was exemplary. It was immediately on site and connecting into the network and advising people. I had no sense at all there was an inadequate response or that it was unavailable to do it. I really felt it was very professional. It immediately brought in FireEye, the security consultancy from California with which it has an existing relationship. It is the organisation that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I do not accept Deputy Cathal Crowe's contention or premise that Ireland has proved to be the soft underbelly of European cybersecurity. Yes, we have sustained a significant attack and the attack is far worse than anything that has happened previously in Ireland but these type of attacks are happening throughout the world in countries that have an extensive security apparatus. For example,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: It is not a choice. We are going to do both. We are going to continue to increase funding, as we did last year, and we will co-operate with our European neighbours, the UK and the US.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. I will say again that a capacity review was launched in January. Over the past five months, analysis has been performed by external people to see in what ways we need to increase our budget, in which areas we need additional skills, where we need more staff, whether we need more resources and in which of the coming five years we will need more resources. We have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The HSE is bringing back services as quickly as it can. It has prioritised its services, starting with its most important ones, its core services, and then it will bring back hospitals. HSE CEO Paul Reid has said it will take a number of weeks but I can say the most important services will come back first. I understand the core systems are all working again and it is matter of ensuring...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cybersecurity: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Chair. It is important that questions are asked in an open way because this is an issue that affects everybody.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Business of Select Committee. (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Good morning to the committee. I confirm that I am in Government Buildings.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputy Whitmore for her amendments and I understand her concern about the recent High Court judgment. It relates to the 2015 Act and not the 2021 Bill. The role of the Government throughout this climate Bill is central to its operation and entwined with the efforts to be made. Every ceiling, budget and plan are matters that the Government must approve. Regardless of whether...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: The new Bill strengthens the obligations on Ministers and it is completely new legislation. I understand judges in looking at the 2015 Act found differences and we took that examination into account in drafting this Bill. We are confident the issue will not arise.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: This Bill focuses on emission reduction and a lot of things are contingent on climate action. Obviously there is a clear link between biodiversity and climate change and there is a clear link between biodiversity and the circular economy. However, that does not mean everything that is affected by climate change needs to be stuffed into this Bill or that there needs to be actions produced as...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputy Whitmore.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputies for their contributions. As I said to Deputy Bruton, I am certainly not dismissing requests out of hand at all. I am certainly willing to consider it on the next Stage and consider where the scope should lie. In response to Deputy Whitmore, climate change and biodiversity are deeply entwined and obviously very closely linked. If emissions are increased, biodiversity can...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I think it is in section 6, Part 12. The Deputy might bear with me. It is on page 12, line 12, if I have got the same numbering system as the Deputy. I will read it out: "‘carbon leakage’ means the transfer, due to climate policies, of production to other countries with less restrictive policies with regard to greenhouse gas emissions". The thing is that carbon leakage is...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Yes, the Deputy might bear with me for a second and I will find it. It is so that when the Government is developing a national adaptation framework it broadens out the matters the Government must have regard to, when compared with the 2015 Act.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: Chair, I am happy to come in here for a quick second, if you want. I know you have ruled this out of order. It is up to you anyway, if you want me to come in.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: In general, can I extend an invitation to all members of the committee to meet me in my office and to go through any concerns that they have about this legislation at any time?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Ossian Smyth: I move amendment No. 107: In page 14, to delete lines 1 to 7 and substitute the following: “(5) The first two carbon budgets proposed by the Advisory Council shall provide for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions such that the total amount of annual greenhouse gas emissions in the year ending on 31 December 2030 is 51 per cent less than the annual greenhouse gas emissions...