Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
566. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of staff directly responsible for cybersecurity, as distinct from IT, within her Department; if a threat analyst, vulnerability manager and a cyber infrastructure engineer are employed; if not in-house, if this work is outsourced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9428/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra567. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the extent to which her Department examines third party supply chain vulnerability when it comes to cybersecurity. [9446/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 567 together.
I propose to take questions 9428/26 and 9446/26 together.
My department's cyber security measures are supported by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The NCSC is an operational division of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and is the State's principal cyber security authority.
The NCSC is responsible for advising and informing Government and operators of Critical National Infrastructure on current cyber threats and vulnerabilities, leading the management of major cyber security incidents across Government and providing guidance and information on cyber security matters. The NCSC also encompasses the State’s National/Governmental Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE), which provides situational awareness and incident response services for national cyber security incidents.
A combination of internal resources and external supports, as appropriate, are used to deliver cyber security functions within my department. This approach is informed by guidance from, amongst others, the NCSC and CSIRT-IE.
For security reasons and in line with previous advice from the NCSC, it is not considered appropriate to disclose detailed information regarding cyber security roles, delivery arrangements or supply chain considerations. The disclosure of such information could compromise the Department’s information security posture by assisting malicious actors to identify potential vulnerabilities.
My Department continues to keep its cyber security arrangements under ongoing review, having regard to evolving threats, Government policy and guidance issued by the NCSC and others.
