Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
332. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the Government's implementation plan for the five key recommendations contained in the 2025 national cyber risk assessment; and, in particular, to detail what new investments are planned to strengthen national cyber resilience, including funding for skills, infrastructure, and indigenous cybersecurity capability. [72745/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2025 National Cyber Risk Assessment (NCRA), published by my Department’s National Cyber Security Centre on 2 December will be the foundation of Ireland's third National Cyber Security Strategy.
Ireland’s second National Cyber Security Strategy sets out 20 collaborative measures with the aim of meeting a range of objectives, including to improve the ability of the State to respond to and manage cyber security incidents and to improve the resilience and security of public sector IT systems to better protect data and services. A Mid-Term Review of the Strategy published in May 2023 saw the inclusion of a further 18 new measures to be met within its lifetime. I expect to be in a position to publish the End-of-Strategy report shortly.
Preparations for a new third National Cyber Security Strategy are underway in my Department. This strategy will also incorporate obligations arising from the revised EU Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2 Directive) alongside other national commitments relating to cyber security such as those set out in the Programme for Government and the National Development Plan.
A number of recommendations in the 2025 NCRA reflect measures which I expected to feature in the new Strategy including: the establishment of a national cyber security research centre of excellence, use of the cyber fundamentals framework to embed security by design and risk management practices in the State to secure critical supply chains and the implementation of National Cyber Security Bill, which will embed a robust framework of cyber security and resilience across 18 sectors of criticality in the State.
A public consultation process will be launched soon to gather input from citizens, academia, industry, and other key stakeholders. These submissions will be reviewed and taken into consideration throughout the process of formulating priorities and specific measurable goals for the third Strategy.
Officials in my Department are currently engaged with the National Cyber Security Centre as well as other relevant Government Departments and agencies including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Defence on developing this strategy.
Care will be taken throughout the strategy development process to ensure appropriate alignment with other relevant strategies including the Maritime Security Strategy and the Digital and AI Strategy.
I expect to be in a position to bring the third National Cyber Security Strategy to Government in early 2026, after which it will be published.
