Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

170. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to protect Irish businesses at risk of cyber attacks in view of the fact that the US and UK are offering training to major public bodies and businesses in this area. [24192/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department's remit includes the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which contains a Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE). The CSIRT-IE received international accreditation in 2017 and is actively engaged in a number of European and international organisations. The NCSC is responsible for acting as a conduit for information to constituents including operators of Critical National Infrastructure, businesses, Government Departments and Agencies, and also for providing expert advice and analysis on cyber security issues and for coordinating significant incidents. The NCSC acts as a central contact point in the event of a government or nation-wide cyber security incident affecting the State and continues to work with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the Departments and Agencies that own these systems to mitigate and manage these risks. The expertise contained within the NCSC covers a broad range of capabilities including computer science, software engineering, malware analysis and information technology forensics. The unit also participates in international exercises. The NCSC is also engaged in a series of other actions to support organisations of different types and scales. For example, the unit has been heavily engaged in work to prepare for the EU Network and Information Security Directive, which will place binding security requirements on critical infrastructure operators and certain key Digital Service Providers. The Directive also places obligations on the State itself, in terms of ensuring that States can cooperate and share information in the event of a large scale incident affecting several countries and to ensure that every State has significant capacity of its own. Taken together, this will mean that the State will have coordinated system for the management of cyber related risk to Critical National Infrastructure, and for the assessment and response to incidents. Also, a new website for the NCSC has been launched – www.ncsc.gov.ie -and this will shortly be updated with information to assist individuals and small and medium sized businesses to protect their information systems.