€4.2m project aims to provide cybersecurity funds for small firms
The project will distribute EU and national funds to SMEs and other industry and other stakeholders, with the aim of strengthening the uptake of cybersecurity.
The Government has set up a new €4.2m national cybersecurity project which will provide funding to SMEs for cybersecurity research, innovation and resilience measures.
The new National Cybersecurity Coordination and Development Centre, or NCC-IE, project will sit within the Government’s National Cyber Security Centre and will help to facilitate cybersecurity innovation and resilience.
The NCC-IE project will be funded by a €2m contribution from the EU, and €2.2m from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Running for the next two years, the project will distribute EU and national funds to SMEs and other industry and other stakeholders, with the aim of strengthening the uptake of cybersecurity.
The centre will allow Irish firms, third-level institutions, and public bodies to “fully seize” new investment opportunities from the EU for enhanced cybersecurity resilience and innovation.
The project also aims to coordinate with industry, academia, research and other stakeholders to develop awareness of funding supports and networking opportunities, as well as contribute to policy and strategy around cybersecurity funding.
Due to commence this autumn, the project will help meet national obligations under EU law.
The European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre and the Network of National Coordination Centres Regulation provides for Ireland and other member states to establish national coordination centres such as the newly established NCC-IE.
The NCSC will work with State agencies and Cyber Ireland, which is the national cybersecurity cluster organisation, to encourage a more Eurocentric approach to cybersecurity, as well as supporting indigenous Irish enterprises to build industrial capacity in cybersecurity.
Launching the NCC-IE project, Communications Minister Ossian Smyth said that it is an “exciting development” for the NCSC.
“It is important that we play our part as a member of the EU in seizing the cybersecurity opportunities as regards research, innovation, technological development and commercial exploitation as part of the Green Deal and Digital Transformation agendas,” he said.
The project was among a number of successful applications from Ireland under the Digital Europe Cybersecurity call for proposals that closed in February.
Approximately €7.8m of EU funding is being provided to various parties in Ireland to improve cybersecurity capabilities.
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