Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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117. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she will take to tackle cyber crime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24156/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that significant steps have been undertaken in this area.

The Criminal Justice (Offences Relating to Information Systems) Bill, passed by the Oireachtas last week, is the first piece of legislation in this jurisdiction that is specifically dedicated to dealing with cybercrime. In addition to giving effect to the EU Directive on attacks against information systems, the legislation creates a range of offences relating to information systems and data, including illegally accessing a system, interference with systems or data and illegal interception of data.

In addition, this legislation implements key elements of the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, which has been signed by Ireland. It is intended that any elements of the Convention not already covered under Irish law will be covered in a proposed Cybercrime Bill which is on the Government’s Legislation Programme.

The Commissioner's Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021 provided for the review and restructuring of the Computer Crime Investigation Unit (CCIU) to establish a dedicated Garda Cyber Crime Bureau to ensure An Garda Síochána has the capacity and capabilities to deal with cyber crime and cyber security.

I am informed by the Commissioner that the Garda Cyber Crime Bureau, under the direction of Assistant Commissioner Special Crime Operations, is headed by a Detective Superintendent who will be supported by two Detective Inspectors, with responsibility, respectively, for cyber-crime and for computer forensics. The allocation of additional and support staff for the Cyber Crime Bureau is ongoing.

I am also advised by Garda management that two pilot regional cyber units have already been established in the Southern and South-Eastern Regions.

In conjunction with the Garda College, a module on cyber crime investigation is included in the training programme for all Trainee Gardaí, with all other Garda personnel being trained through the Continuous Professional Development network, in cyber crime awareness and cyber crime investigation.

The Cyber Crime Bureau will continue to strengthen its links with the National Cyber Security Centre; industry partners; national and international stakeholders; and the UCD Centre for Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Investigation in the areas of research, development and training, as well as working closely with law enforcement partners to maintain and develop the capacity of An Garda Síochána to investigate and prevent cyber crime and improve cyber security.