Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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472. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to bring forward the cyber security Bill 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49213/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The 2015 National Cyber Strategy set out the priorities for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) for the period 2015-2017, as the being the protection of Government ICT Infrastructure while building capacity in other areas, particularly around preparing for the implementation of the EU Network and Information Security Directive.  

This Directive, which has a transposition date of May 2018 has a complex series of measures associated with it. These include the creation of an entirely new process around the protection of critical national infrastructure and separate measures around the security of Digital Service Providers. These are all being designed and delivered by my Department at present. Significant progress has been made in both of these areas; for example, last week Minister of State Kyne launched a public consultation on the draft security measures that will be required of Critical National Infrastructure operators in the State under this Directive. The legal components of the Directive will be put into place by Statutory Instrument, early in 2018.

The dynamic and challenging nature of this issue, and the risks posed to citizens and the State, are clearly significant. The NCSC will likely require further statutory powers beyond those required under the Directive, and that  Heads of Bill in this regard will be brought before Government in due course.  Priority is currently being given to the drafting of the secondary legislation to facilitate the transposition of the Network and Information Security Directive.