Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 October 2025
92. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 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. [54385/25]
View answerThe number of devices lost or stolen is as follows:
|
Year |
Phone |
Laptop |
|
2020 |
2 |
- |
|
2021 |
9 |
2 |
|
2022 |
11 |
2 |
|
2023 |
10 |
4 |
|
2024 |
10 |
1 |
|
2025 |
11 |
4 |
The use of USB devices on departmental devices is not permitted.
The Department has clear procedures in place in relation to the loss, theft and replacement of devices. Staff receive training on their obligations regarding departmental data and on protocols to follow if devices are lost or stolen. To protect all data and to ensure low risk, all devices are encrypted and immediately wiped on receipt of notification of a device being lost or stolen.
The expenditure on data loss mitigation and related cyber security measures is integrated within the overall ICT expenditure.
