Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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198. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to upgrade the IT system in his Department and bodies under his aegis with a view to maximising the protection against hackers. [28680/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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ICT services are provided to my Department by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The provision of ICT security is part of that service.

My ICT Staff are engaging closely with the OGCIO on this issue, who in turn are engaging with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure that best practice is followed as it relates to all aspects of Cybersecurity.

For operational and security reasons, the NCSC has advised not to disclose details of systems and processes which could in any way compromise those efforts. In particular, it is not considered appropriate to disclose information which might assist criminals to identify potential vulnerabilities in departmental cybersecurity arrangements. Therefore it is not considered appropriate to disclose particular arrangements in place in relation to cyber security tools and services and my Department does not comment on operational security matters.

The agencies under the remit of my Department are responsible for their own ICT security. I have asked each one to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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199. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if additional security measures will be taken to impede and prevent the intrusion of hackers in his Department’s IT system and to ensure an early warning system is in place which will trigger an ultimate defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28698/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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ICT services are provided to my Department by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The provision of ICT security is part of that service.

My ICT Staff are engaging closely with the OGCIO on this issue, who in turn are engaging with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure that best practice is followed as it relates to all aspects of Cybersecurity.

For operational and security reasons, the NCSC has advised not to disclose details of systems and processes which could in any way compromise those efforts. In particular, it is not considered appropriate to disclose information which might assist criminals to identify potential vulnerabilities in departmental cybersecurity arrangements. Therefore it is not considered appropriate to disclose particular arrangements in place in relation to cyber security tools and services and my Department does not comment on operational security matters.