1116. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to report on the work of his Department in encouraging the private cybersecurity sector. [24134/26]

1117. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has examined the possibility of establishing a cyber skill voucher scheme or training grant scheme. [24136/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1116 and 1117 together.

Responsibility for cyber security policy and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) lies with my colleague, Jim O’Callaghan, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

In February, the Government published the new National AI & Digital Strategy, Digital Ireland - Connecting our People, Securing our Future. It reflects the scale of our ambition for strengthening Ireland’s digital and AI capabilities in the years ahead, as well as the shared responsibility across Government to deliver it.

Given the critical importance of cyber security, the Strategy includes a dedicated chapter with a focus on building national cyber security capacity and accelerating the development of cyber security skills and adoption. The actions outlines in this cyber security chapter are a matter for the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the NCSC.

The Strategy also contains a commitment from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to publish a Roadmap for Technology Skills of the Future in 2026, ensuring that Ireland’s skills ecosystem remains future-focused and responsive to emerging needs, including the growing demand for AI and cyber security specialists.

While my Department does not have responsibility for cyber security policy, we are focused on supporting enterprises to adopt AI and digital technologies to boost productivity and competitiveness, and strong cyber security practices are very important.

A range of supports is available to help businesses accelerate their digital transformation:

• Grow Digital Voucher – Provides up to €5,000 for small businesses (under 50 employees) to adopt digital tools such as AI, cyber security solutions, e commerce, and website development.

• European Digital Innovation Hubs (Dublin, Cork, Mullingar, Sligo) – Supports enterprises and public bodies in adopting advanced technologies including AI, cyber security and high-performance computing.

• Digital for Business Consultancy Scheme – A free advisory service connecting businesses with expert consultants to assess digital needs and develop tailored transformation plans. The new Strategy also commits to reviewing both the Digital for Business consultancy scheme and the Grow Digital Voucher to ensure they remain effective and continue to meet the evolving needs of enterprises.