Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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40. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the transposition into Irish law of the Network and Information Systems Directive II (NIS2) EU Directive concerning cybersecurity; when this is likely to take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38792/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Significant work is ongoing regarding the transposition of the NIS2 Directive into Irish law. The NIS2 Directive is a revision of the NIS Directive, which is currently in force in the State via SI 360 of 2018 and represents a major step forward for cyber resilience in Europe and will enhance cyber risk management across the Union including generating significant improvements in our capacity to respond to major incidents and developing the information-sharing platforms which are proving effective to date.

Separately as part of a number of measures to develop the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is a Division within my Department, the Government agreed in 2021 to establish the NCSC on a statutory basis and provide for related matters including clarity around its mandate and role in general and in relation to other actors in the cyber area. Therefore, transposing of the NIS2 Directive and the additional statutory powers required for the NCSC has been taken forward as a single legislative instrument: The National Cyber Security Bill 2024.

To date, Government has approved the designation of the national competent authorities (NCAs) for each of the sectors set out in the Directive. The NCSC, as the lead national competent authority, has set up and chairs the NCA Forum. This role sees the NCSC acting as a central coordinator providing advice, guidance and support including development of regulatory framework and tools to assist the other competent authorities.

Government also gave approval for the drafting of the National Cyber Security Bill 2024. My Department is currently engaging with the Office of Parliamentary Council (OPC), the Attorney General’s Office and other relevant Government Departments and Agencies on the drafting of the Bill. In tandem my Department is engaging with the Committee on Transport and Communications on the pre legislative scrutiny of the Bill.

Neither I or my officials can pre-empt the outcome or the length of time the legislative process will take, that is a matter solely for the Oireachtas.

However, the ongoing engagement with industry, sectoral entities, and the public administration sector among others, which is being led by the NCSC, will continue throughout the the legislative process and beyond . This is recognised by myself and my Department as a significant pillar of work required to ensure the successful implementation of the legislation in the State