Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023

Tuesday, 21 November 2023

Questions (434)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

434. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the expenditure on cyber security consultants and companies within his Department in the past three years; if his Department engaged in cyber security audits with outside firms in the past three years; if so, the expenditure on same; the amount his Department spent on cyber security consultants and companies in the past three years; and for a breakdown of these expenditures by year and type of service provided [50810/23]

Written answers

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

I wish to inform the Deputy that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is guided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and by the National Cyber Security Centre on ICT policy and security matters. For operational and security reasons, the NCSC has advised not to disclose details of systems and processes which could in any way compromise those efforts. It is not considered appropriate to disclose information which might assist bad actors to identify potential vulnerabilities in departmental cybersecurity arrangements. Therefore, it is not considered appropriate to disclose particular arrangements in place in relation to cyber security tools and services and DCEDIY does not comment on operational security matters.