Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 October 2025
242. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline what inter-agency coordination currently exists between his Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the National Cyber Security Centre in respect of the threat of foreign state influence and espionage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55933/25]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was brought under the remit of my Department in June this year, as part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring the proper alignment of our national security infrastructure.
The NCSC is responsible for the State's Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE) function. CSIRT-IE is an internationally accredited response team with its main function being the enhancement of situational awareness for constituents and for the provision of incident response for national cyber security incidents. It is also the lead state agency in relation to the management of major cyber security incidents across Government. The NCSC is therefore involved in a number of coordination mechanisms across Government on cyber security related matters, including with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland's Future, acknowledges that this is a period characterised by geopolitical upheaval and challenges to democracy, with threats arising from the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape across the world. In this context, the Government committed to the implementation of a number of measures relating to defence, justice and cyber, and improved co-ordination of national security.
As part of this work, the Taoiseach established a new Ministerial Council on National Security which he chairs. The membership includes the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and for Defence and myself as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
The Council considers strategic national security developments; reviews progress on delivery of the Government’s national security commitments and measures; and considers reports on the security situation and security threat levels.
