Government to exclude 'high-risk' companies from 5G network

Government has agreed on a number of measures to enhance the security of electronic communications, including 5G networks

While private operators are largely responsible for the secure rollout of 5G, member states are responsible for national security and network security is considered of strategic importance to the EU.

The Government plans to introduce security legislation that will enable it to exclude “high-risk” telecom providers from being used in critical parts of Ireland's next-generation broadband network.

The Cabinet has decided to give Communications Minister Eamon Ryan legal powers to conduct assessments of potential providers of 5G services – the replacement broadband mobile network for the 4G network – and to designate certain suppliers as “high-risk”.