€2.6m cyber defence facility expected to open in March next year 

In a statement to the Dáil, defence minister Helen McEntee said: 'To support this new command unit, my department approved the development of a dedicated IT operations and cyber security block in McKee Barracks to provide the necessary high-end infrastructure requirements for operations in the cyber domain.'  File picture Colin Keegan/Collins

Construction of a €2.6m high-tech facility for the Defence Forces cyber defence command has started — with an expected completion date of March 2027.

The development comes as An Garda Síochána has advertised for a new position of director of cyber security, with the purpose of defending the organisation against cyber threats.

The joint cyber defence command, combining military and civilian staff, was a key recommendation of the Commission on Defence Forces, which reported in February 2022.

As part of the second of three investment options accepted by the Government, the commission envisaged “significantly strengthening” the organisation’s cyber capabilities.

The Defence Forces Cyber Defence Strategy 2024-2027, published in April 2025, detailed the cyber threats facing the organisation, the country, and the stages for the establishment of the joint cyber defence command over time.

The first landmark will be the establishment of a new cyber operations unit by January 2028, with the allocation of 100 additional personnel, which could take five-to-ten years.

In a statement to the Dáil, defence minister Helen McEntee said: “To support this new command unit, my department approved the development of a dedicated IT operations and cyber security block in McKee Barracks to provide the necessary high-end infrastructure requirements for operations in the cyber domain.” 

She said: “The works contract for this project was awarded on May 15 this year and construction is now underway at a cost of €2.6m, with completion expected by March 2027.” 

Brigadier General Mark Staunton was appointed commander in October 2025, and a civilian lead was to follow.

Ms McEntee said the Department of Defence has been working with the Public Appointments Service to recruit cyber specialists.

“It is intended that these positions will be filled as soon as possible," she said. 

"To date, the Public Appointments Service has launched a campaign for the role of principal officer and cyber lead. Competitions have also been initiated for roles on cyber threat intelligence and cyber resilience.”

Meanwhile, the newly created position of director of cyber security in An Garda Síochána has been advertised, with a closing date of August 5.

The job spec said the person will draw up a Garda cybersecurity strategy and “defend the organisation against current and emerging threats”, pointing out that the threat landscape was “ever changing”.

It said the organisation was implementing large-scale projects, including modernisation of data centres, transformation of critical communications networks, and secure international information-sharing platforms.

It said the role should "strengthen relationships" between Garda IT and security & intelligence and avoid an "us vs them" mentality.

The director will oversee "24/7" monitoring of threats, vulnerabilities, and suspicious activity through a combination of "internal and third-party services".

The position has a starting salary of €116,000, with an allowance of €16,000. 

• Cormac O’Keeffe is Security Correspondent.