Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 October 2022
18. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement that his Department has had with SMEs in relation to their cybersecurity measures given the heightened level of cyber risk in recent times; if a scheme will be made available to aid SMEs in updating their cybersecurity measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53778/22]
View answerIt's important that businesses, no matter their size, put cybersecurity at the heart of their approach to the digital transition.
We would advise that individual SMEs always engage with trusted software and cloud providers and promote awareness of cybersecurity issues among staff on an ongoing basis.
The need for robust cybersecurity is highlighted in the cross-government National Digital Strategy I published earlier this year. We want 90% of SMEs to have achieved basic digital intensity by 2030 and 75% enterprise take-up in cloud, AI and big data.
As a so-called digital hub, we shouldn’t accept mid-rankings on European league tables when Europe itself possibly lags the world. Unlocking our digital potential will both help us to stay ahead of the curve on innovation and productivity and move up the value chain.
In June, I opened the Digital Transition Fund and the Grow Digital campaign, which focusses on driving the uptake of digital technologies among businesses in Ireland. This €85m fund will help SMEs at all stages of their digital journey. Assistance is available to SMEs to develop a cyber-security strategy with the help of an external consultant. A similar programme is available to micro-enterprises through the Local Enterprise Offices, under the Digital Start programme.
In addition, the National Cyber Security Strategy includes measures to ensure we play our part in defending a free, open, secure and stable cyberspace. Included within this work is ongoing engagement to assist in increasing the general level of skills and awareness among individuals and businesses around basic cyber hygiene practices, and, more specifically, to raise awareness of the responsibilities of businesses around securing their networks, devices and information.
