Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 April 2019
236. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps and progress made in 2018 and to date in 2019 in building the capability of the national cyber security centre and achieving the high level of security for computer networks and critical infrastructure as set out in the National Cyber Security Strategy 2015-2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18219/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra237. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the specific measures he is taking to develop civil and military co-operation on cyber security as set out in the National Cyber Security Strategy 2015-2017; the number of meetings between his Department, the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces in which this issue was on the agenda in the past 18 months in tabular form; the meetings he has had with the Minister for Defence to discuss this commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18220/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra238. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the webpage on the national cyber security strategy on the website of his Department informs persons that there will be a new, updated national cyber security strategy published in 2018; the reason for the delay in producing this strategy; the progress made in 2019; the status of the strategy in view of the fact that the deadline for public consultation submissions is 1 May 2019; if the 2018 strategy will be published before the end of 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18221/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 238, inclusive, together.
The Government fully recognises the critical importance of protecting the State against cyber security threats and has invested heavily in recent years in strengthening the State’s capacity in this area. This has included the significant development and growth of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The response team within the NCSC gained international accreditation in 2017.
The NCSC works with An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and other Departments and State Agencies in relation to the security of IT infrastructure and critical national infrastructure. The operational details of these activities are not made public for security reasons
Moreover, since the transposition of the EU Network and Information Security Directive last year, the NCSC has a series of formal powers around the security of a range of critical national infrastructure, including a set of binding security requirements and an incident reporting requirement.
My Department is leading in the development of a new National Cyber Security Strategy and chairs a Steering Group with representation across a number of Government Departments. A public consultation on the Strategy was launched on 19 March 2019 and will remain open until 1 May. This public consultation poses a series of questions around how we might better (1) protect critical national Infrastructure and services from Cyber Security related risks, (2) develop our skills base and industrial capacity in this field, and (3) engage nationally and internationally on cyber security matters, both to build awareness and to ensure that our international policy position takes cognisance of developments in cyber security. My Department has also established 5 expert stakeholder groups to comment on the various aspects of cyber security policy to ensure that the Strategy process is fully informed by a mix of public, private sector and academic expertise. These groups have already met once, and will meet again after the public consultation phase is completed. The new strategy will be in place mid-year.
