Gerard P. Craughwell: CyberQuest €8.5m Awarded, Urges Action
Gerard P. Craughwell addressed the Senate on cybersecurity, cross-border funding and air defence, urging action rather than talk. He announced that CyberQuest has been awarded €8.5 million through the Peace Plus programme to deliver cyber and IT skills to 2,000 participants and warned of growing cyber threats and regulatory challenges such as NIS2.
Gerard P. Craughwell said CyberQuest has been awarded €8.5 million over the next five years under the Peace Plus cross-border initiative to bring cyber and IT skills to 2,000 participants, many of whom are outside education and employment.
He congratulated Enterprise Ireland on a new €3,000 grant allowing companies to assess their cyber security systems and noted a further €60,000 fund that can cover up to 80% of the cost of raising cyber awareness and security programmes within organisations.
Craughwell described recent work in cyber security, including delegations to Tallinn where CCDCOE and CR14 showcased best practice. He referenced the establishment of two security operating centres - one in Dundalk and one in the Collaboratory in Blanchardstown - and a cyber awareness programme running in Limerick ETB.
He warned that, until the State has an air force capable of intercepting and interdicting, weapons can pass through national airspace unchecked and talking alone is of little value - action is needed. He emphasised that "NIS2 is coming" and stressed the need to wake up to the cyber threat from both state actors and individuals operating from bedrooms.
He acknowledged Senator Crockwell's ongoing work in the area of security and cyber security and noted that Senator Crockwell had also mentioned the Peace Plus funding in his remarks.
CyberQuest funding
Gerard P. Craughwell said CyberQuest has been awarded €8.5 million over the next five years under the Peace Plus cross-border initiative to bring cyber and IT skills to 2,000 participants, many of whom are outside education and employment.
Enterprise Ireland support for businesses
He congratulated Enterprise Ireland on a new €3,000 grant allowing companies to assess their cyber security systems and noted a further €60,000 fund that can cover up to 80% of the cost of raising cyber awareness and security programmes within organisations.
Operational capability and training
Craughwell described recent work in cyber security, including delegations to Tallinn where CCDCOE and CR14 showcased best practice. He referenced the establishment of two security operating centres - one in Dundalk and one in the Collaboratory in Blanchardstown - and a cyber awareness programme running in Limerick ETB.
Air defence and urgency
He warned that, until the State has an air force capable of intercepting and interdicting, weapons can pass through national airspace unchecked and talking alone is of little value - action is needed. He emphasised that "NIS2 is coming" and stressed the need to wake up to the cyber threat from both state actors and individuals operating from bedrooms.
Colleague engagement
He acknowledged Senator Crockwell's ongoing work in the area of security and cyber security and noted that Senator Crockwell had also mentioned the Peace Plus funding in his remarks.
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Transcript
Just referring to the issue of weapons passing through our sky until such a time as we have an air force ourselves that can go up and intercept and interdict, we can do sweet damn all about it and talking about it is of little value. Action is what's needed. Now, Leader, you'll know that I've spent quite a lot of time over the period of this Senate in working in the area of cyber security. It brought a number of delegations to Tallinn in Estonia and we have been, I suppose, shown the best of the best by CCDCOE, which is the NATO centre, CR14, which is another NATO training centre, and it has led to the establishment of two security operating centres, one in Dundalk and one in Collaboratory out in Blanchardstown, and a cyber awareness programme running in Limerick ETB. I'm delighted today to inform the House that we sought funding for a cross-border initiative through the Peace Plus programme, and CyberQuest has been awarded €8.5 million over the next five years to bring cyber and IT skills to 2,000 participants, many of whom are outside the education and the employment area. This is a really good initiative to bring young people that, for all intents and purposes, have been disaffected, to bring them into what is a vibrant career for them. I also want to congratulate the Enterprise Ireland on its initiative in the area of cyber, where they have now set up a grant of 3,000 euros to allow companies to assess their cyber security systems, if you want. And in addition to that, Enterprise Ireland have laid on 60,000 euros, which would be up to 80% of the cost of bringing cyber awareness and cyber security programmes up to speed within organisations. We really have to wake up to the cyber threat that exists in the world. And it's not all bad actors of countries. Some of it is just people operating out of their bedrooms. And the bottom line on it is, NIS2 is coming, and unless we do something about it, we will be found once again caught. Senator Crockwell spoke about his continuous work in the space of security and cyber security. And yes, he spoke about the Peace Plus programme as well in funding under that.