Ireland's first National Security Strategy slowly nears completion

The Department of the Taoiseach said: “The existing National Security Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024 sets out the specific and strategic approach to protecting the State in the cybersecurity realm."

The country’s first, and long-awaited, national security strategy is nearing completion.

The process, which began with a public consultation in December 2019, was due to lead to a strategy covering the period 2020-2025.

The strategy is being compiled by the National Security Analysis Centre (NSAC), which sits within the Department of the Taoiseach.

“The draft National Security Strategy is at inter-departmental consultative stage and will complement and build on existing Governmental strategies and frameworks across the security environment,” the Department of the Taoiseach said in a statement.

“The existing National Security Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024 sets out the specific and strategic approach to protecting the State in the cybersecurity realm," it said.

The National Security Strategy is an overarching document that will have a broader focus, include a focus on terrorism, cyber, and hybrid threats.

It added: “Enhancing resilience across the economic and societal spheres are also expected to be prioritised.” 

It said the staffing levels at the NSAC have “remained unchanged” but declined to tell the Irish Examiner what the levels are.

The centre has staff seconded from relevant departments — Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence and Communications, Climate Action and Environment, An Garda Síochána, and the Defence Forces.

The department’s statement said the NSAC was “centrally involved” in coordinating the Government response to the recent HSE cyber security attack.

It said a group comprising the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Minister for Health, the Minister for Justice, the Minister for Children, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Communications and E-Government was established to monitor and steer the cross-Government response.

It said this group was supported by the NSAC and the National Cyber Security Centre in the immediate aftermath and as the national response evolved.

The strategy comes at a time of the security crisis in Afghanistan, which raised the lack of Irish long-range military aircraft, and heightened fears at hostile acts by Russian and Chinese agencies and cyber gangs. 

The Commission on the Defence Forces is scheduled to report by year's end and a Government-ordered high-level review of security laws and the threat posed by terrorism and organised crime is due by April 2022.