Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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217. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps his Department is taking to improve and expand the cybersecurity remit across colleges and universities following an attempted cyberattack at a university (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14179/21]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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219. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is a dedicated business cybersecurity hub within the National Cyber Security Centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14181/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 219 together.

The National Cyber Security Centre has a broad remit across the cyber security of Government ICT and critical national infrastructure. The NCSC has a key role in monitoring and responding to cyber security incidents in the State, in managing and sharing intelligence relating to threats to network and information security in the State, including during incidents and to improving the resilience and preparedness of the State in cyber security terms, including Government, critical national infrastructure and business.

The NCSC acts as a central contact point in the event of a government or nation-wide cyber security incident affecting the State, including the provision of advisory notices to over 160 constituents, including entities in the business sector. The NCSC also provides expert advice and analysis on cyber security issues. The Centre has established relationships with cyber security firms based in Ireland for sharing threat intelligence, and has developed links with Cyber Ireland to promote cyber security.

In relation to engagement with third level institutions, the NCSC liaises directly with the HeaNet IT security team to highlight threats specific to the third level sector as the need arises. The NCSC also works directly with third level institutions when a specific threat is identified, in order to provide support and guidance to those organisations on a case-by-case basis.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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218. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the context and rationale for the Office of Government Procurement provision of IT security services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14180/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department has no governance or oversight function in relation to contracts awarded by the Office of Government Procurement for the provision of IT security services, and I have no role or function in relation to the operation of the Office of Government Procurement. The functions of the Office of Government Procurement fall under the remit of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.