Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2026
12. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on any additional cyber resilience measures undertaken by the State for the duration of the EU Presidency and in preparation for the meeting of the European Political Community. [49545/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to ensuring Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union is a success and is delivered safely and securely.
As of today, Ireland holds the Presidency of the EU for the next six months. The planning and preparation for this very important occasion have however been long underway.
There is no doubt the scale and significance of Presidency events taking place in the State, along with the meeting of the European Political Community, mean that unprecedented security considerations arise.
The security arrangements put in place by An Garda Síochána and our other services reflect the wider backdrop of a changed EU security landscape and this more complex threat environment. The arrangements reflect the detailed planning of all aspects of the security and policing requirements that has been undertaken by An Garda Síochána over many months including interagency engagement and continuous liaison with policing and security partners across the EU.
I am briefed regularly by the Garda Commissioner on security and policing planning and am satisfied that all appropriate preparatory actions are being taken by An Garda Síochána in collaboration with key stakeholders including the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in my Department and the Defence Forces.
In relation to cyber resilience measures in particular, the NCSC has undertaken additional engagement and preparedness activity, including holding cyber preparedness exercises to test response arrangements and strengthen coordination. In addition, the NCSC undertook a cyber threat assessment for Ireland’s Presidency which was published in June.
My Department (including the NCSC) and An Garda Síochána participate in the structures sitting under the Ministerial Council of National Security, established in 2025, which bring together a wider stakeholder group, including the National Security Analysis Centre and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and support a whole of Government approach to addressing multifaceted security issues.
