Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

206. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to confirm if any staff devices (laptops, phones, USBs) containing departmental information or sensitive data were reported lost or stolen in the past five years; the number of devices reported; the data risk involved; and the associated cost of mitigation. [54383/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It should be noted that my Department was re-configured as the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport at the beginning of June 2025. The previous configuration of my Department, as the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, was established in September 2020.

My Department has informed me that 3 laptops and 1 phone have been reported as lost or stolen over the last 5 years. There was no data risk to the mobile device which was remotely wiped as soon as it was reported lost through the Department's (MDM) Mobile Device Management Solution, or the laptops which were password protected and had the data encrypted to mitigate unauthorised access.

There was minimal associated costs due to re-using existing stock to replace the lost or stolen devices.