Ireland given access to EU team to counter election interference and disinformation

The EU Hybrid Response Teams will assist member states in responding to “disinformation, cyber-attacks, attacks on critical infrastructure, instrumentalised migration and election interference”. File picture

Ireland will soon be able seek the help of an EU rapid response team to deal with hybrid attacks, including on its critical infrastructure as well as election interference and disinformation.

This includes attacks coming from hostile states, such as Russia or China, or individuals or groups from a wide range of countries.

The EU Hybrid Response Teams will assist member states in responding to “disinformation, cyber-attacks, attacks on critical infrastructure, instrumentalised migration and election interference”.

Instrumentalised migration refers to cases when a hostile state arranges for mass migration across borders into other countries, as Russia has done with Finland and Norway, in a bid to cause destabilisation and societal disharmony.

Hybrid attacks often include a number of actions, typically cyber-attacks in addition to other measures. The European Council agreed this week on a guiding framework for the “practical establishment” of the EU Hybrid Rapid Response Teams.

“This paves the way for such teams to be deployed upon request, to prepare against and counter hybrid threats and campaigns,” the council said in a statement.

“In a deteriorating security environment, with increasing disinformation, cyber-attacks, attacks on critical infrastructure, instrumentalised migration, and election interference by malign actors, the Hybrid Rapid Response Teams will be an important new capability of the EU to counter new and emerging threats.” 

Commenting, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Ireland welcomed the approval and noted that the EU Strategic Compass — a landmark security document published in 2022 — committed to their establishment to counter threats member states were facing.

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“These threats can include disinformation, cyber-attacks, economic coercion and attacks on critical infrastructure by hostile actors,” the department said.

It said Ireland also had “extensive engagement” with the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, which Ireland joined in January 2023.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs co-ordinates Ireland’s national engagement with the EU on policy on countering hybrid threats, working in close co-operation with relevant Government Departments and Agencies, which have responsibility for hybrid threats within their own areas of responsibility.

“Following approval today, work will now begin on operationalising Ireland’s participation in this important initiative.” 

There is no central agency with responsibility for combating hybrid attacks in Ireland, in part because it crosses so many civilian and military areas.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) leads out on cyber security, particularly in relation to protecting critical infrastructure and State and government IT systems.