Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 December 2018
263. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if security services here have assessed the threat to State security Chinese firms (details supplied) pose; if he has sought the advice of security services in other EU member states, the Unites States of America, Australia or Canada regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50938/18]
View answer264. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on whether Chinese technology companies (details supplied) pose a threat to State security; if so, the work that has been done to mitigate this risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50939/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together.
The Deputy will appreciate that policy in respect of telecommunications is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
I should emphasise that the telecommunications network operators and service providers operate here in a fully liberalised market and are regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), which is statutorily independent in the exercise of its functions (as provided for in Section 11 of the Communications Regulations Act 2002 (No 20/2002).
In addition, it should be noted that the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Framework) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 333 of 2011), sets out, inter alia, the requirements on operators with regard to the security and integrity of their networks, and ComReg is responsible for ensuring compliance with these provisions.
I can assure the Deputy that the security of the State and the people is a matter of the highest priority for the Government. It would not be in the public interest to detail the measures that are taken by our authorities in this area. What I can say is that considerable resources are deployed by the Garda authorities, supported by the skills and expertise of the Defence Forces, in combating threats to our security. The authorities here work very closely on an on-going basis with their international counterparts in identifying and managing any threats arising.
