Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

206. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the action he is taking to tackle cybercrime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8864/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can inform the Deputy that a number of significant initiatives are being undertaken to tackle cybercrime. With regard to legislative initiatives, among the Bills in the Government Legislation Programme is the Criminal Justice (Cybercrime) Bill. This Bill creates a range of offences to protect information systems and data from illegal access and interference. When enacted, it will enable ratification by Ireland of the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. It will also transpose EU Directive 2013/40 on attacks against information systems.

With regard to the investigation of cybercrime, the strategy of An Garda Síochána in this area focuses on prevention, detection and training. The Computer Crime Investigation Unit (CCIU) of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation is the primary Garda unit responsible for investigating computer crime in Ireland.

While the investigation of certain aspects of computer crime is undertaken directly by the CCIU, the Unit also provides expert assistance to Senior Investigating Officers and Investigation Teams tasked with the investigation of this type of criminality on a District and Divisional basis.

Members of the CCIU also provide warnings to the public in relation to various types of cybercrime, including Computer viruses, Denial-of-service attacks, Malware (malicious code), Fraud and identity theft and Phishing scams. The CCIU is also represented on the Irish Payment Card Service Organisation and the Irish Banking Federation High Tech Crime Forum.

An Garda Síochána also regularly liaise with Interpol, Europol and the European Centre for Cyber Crime (EC3) which was established in 2013 under the auspices of Europol.

In addition, a member of the CCIU is on full time secondment with CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team). The role of CERT, which was established under the auspices of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources as part of a series of initiatives to deal with the general issue of cybersecurity, is to prepare and manage cyber incidents in conjunction with relevant stakeholders.

I can also inform the Deputy that members of the CCIU continue to be trained in the techniques necessary to counter cybercrime including cyber forensic examination.

Within my own Department, the Office for Internet Safety has oversight of Hotline.ie, the confidential service that receives reports of suspected illegal content on the internet and, where appropriate, arranges to have such content removed.

Finally, the Deputy might also wish to note that cybercrime and organised crime were considered during the public consultation on the forthcoming White Paper on crime and that these subjects will be addressed in the White Paper.