David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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136. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with national security last met; and when it is scheduled to meet next. [33127/21]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has established the following ten Cabinet Committees: COVID-19; Economic Recovery and Investment; Housing; Health; Environment and Climate Change; Social Affairs and Equality; Education; Europe; Brexit and Northern Ireland, and Government Co-ordination.

As Taoiseach, I am briefed regularly by the Garda Commissioner and by relevant officials on the national and international security situation and on any individual incidents that may arise. The relevant Ministers also brief the Government on security issues within their remit as the need arises.

The National Security Committee, chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and comprises representatives at the highest level from the Departments of Justice, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Environment, Climate and Communications and from An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, is concerned with ensuring that the Government and I are advised of high-level security issues and the responses to them.

There are also special arrangements in place to deal with particular circumstances that may arise, such as the recent cyber-attack on the HSE’s IT systems.

While the work of the National Security Committee is of its nature confidential, I can tell the Deputy that it generally meets a number of times a year and as required. The Committee’s focus is on the main threats to the State’s security and it has also addressed aspects of the State’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.