Malcolm Byrne
Question:251. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied) [37210/26]
View answerTuesday, 19 May 2026
Questions (251)
Written answers
All Department of the Taoiseach official devices and the software applications that run on them comply with guidance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). This guidance is based on risk assessments appropriate to the circumstances and is kept under continuous review by the Department and the NCSC.
The Department's ICT Policy states that staff should not download, install or execute software applications for connecting to external Instant Messaging on computers provided by the Department without the prior approval of the Department's IT Unit. The use of Instant Messaging applications is not prohibited on mobile devices.
The Department requires all users of official devices to exercise appropriate discretion in their use and to use these devices in compliance with the Department's acceptable usage policies, relevant legislation and the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour.