Written answers
Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Cybersecurity Policy
John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
307. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total spend by his Department and the agencies under his remit on cybersecurity measures since 2019 to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51178/22]
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
For operational and security reasons, my Department is advised by the National Cyber Security Centre not to disclose details of systems and processes which could in any way compromise the Department's cybersecurity efforts. In particular, it is not considered appropriate to disclose any information which might assist criminals to identify potential vulnerabilities in cybersecurity arrangements in my Department or the bodies under its aegis. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the particular information requested by the Deputy or any information in relation to cyber security tools and services or operational security matters.
John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
308. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the proportion of his Department’s IT data that is stored in the cloud; the proportion of the data held by all agencies and subsidiaries of his Department in the cloud; if this represents an improvement; if so, the development that has been made towards cloud storage since 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51202/22]
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), which is a division of my Department, produced a Cloud Computing Advice Note for public bodies in October 2019. This moved the debate on the use of cloud from whether we should use it to what, how and when we should move to the cloud.
My Department has taken its own advice in this regard and now makes extensive use of cloud. My Department’s focus is on using the cloud to deliver efficient digital services rather than using cloud for the storage of data, in line with data protection guidance. Accordingly, providing the Deputy with a proportion figure on data held in the cloud for my Department is not fully reflective of the extensive use the Department makes of cloud services as the majority of the data that is processed via cloud services is not stored in the cloud. Over the last three years, my Department has used cloud services to deliver significant public facing services including the COVID Tracker App, the EU Digital COVID Certificate and the electronic Passenger Locator Form, as well as Public Service facing applications including the recently launched Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management application. Furthermore, my Department uses cloud services to implement the gov.ie platform which is the primary source of government information for members of the public.
The position regarding the bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out below.
| Public Body | Cloud storage data (approximate figure) | Progress since 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Public Works (OPW) | 33% | The OPW has moved data on a daily basis to the cloud since 2020. Since 2019, the OPW’s Building Fabric helpdesk, M&E helpdesk, and Property Management operations have been migrated to a cloud-based IWMS system. In addition, a new cloud based Intranet and employee engagement platform was implemented in 2021 and migration of email archive to cloud service in 2022. |
| National Shared Services Office (NSSO) | 1% | The NSSO has moved to adopted cloud based collaboration tools and has also augmented its systems resilience and robustness by utilising cloud technologies. The NSSO is actively looking at ways to exploit cloud technologies to enhance its operations. |
| Public Appointments Service (PAS) | 85% | Since 2019, PAS has moved backups, email and one SIEM solution to the cloud. |
| Office of the Ombudsman | 12% | Further use of cloud technology is planned by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2023. |
| Office of the National Lottery Regulator (ORNL) | 34% | In 2019, the ORNL did not use Cloud technology. However, significant progress has been made in the following years. The ORNL will continue to utilise this technology were appropriate. |
*The State Laboratory does not use store data on cloud technologies.
No comments