Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, too, want to address the cyberattack and the consequences of it. We need a debate on the security of our State. It is devastating for those who are left wondering when their appointments will be held over the coming weeks. At the same time, I commend the work done in the past few days. Our data was clearly kept in silos. Our data is allegedly kept in silos in Clonshaugh and, as a result, the Department of Health was protected from the detonation of a further attack. It has yet to be revealed what else has been prevented.

This morning's reports that there people's details and personal data may be published on the dark web must be worrying. I see this as a particular concern. Obligations arise out of that. In the first instance, the State needs to publish those categories of data and start putting in place the mitigating actions people need to take. On a daily basis, particularly in my area in which there are many elderly individuals, people receive phone calls requesting their PPS numbers and other information. These are scam phone calls and the Attorney General's office and the Department of Social Protection have issued warnings about them. If data is now out there, however, people will be worried when it comes to deciphering what is real and what is not.

We need to talk about the breaches, what is likely to happen and the consequences of that and explain the position. Small businesses that have moved to paperless transactions on foot of the general data protection regulation, GDPR, and that have been protective of people's privacy as a result now also have to worry about their security. I am calling for the State to announce a set of guidelines on how people can know when they have sufficient security in place. We need an education campaign and a debate on this matter.