Against a backdrop of evolving cyber threats and expanding regulatory requirements, leaders from government, industry and European institutions gathered in Trinity to discuss how Ireland can strengthen cyber resilience while remaining an attractive location for investment and innovation.

Cybersecurity is increasingly recognised not only as a security imperative, but as a critical enabler of competitiveness, economic security and business resilience.

Hosted by the Trinity Centre for Digital Security and Societal Resilience, Ibec, and the Research Ireland ADAPT Centre, the Business Resilience as National Resilience: From Compliance to Competitiveness in Europe’s Cybersecurity Agenda event examined the practical impact of a rapidly changing cyber landscape on Irish companies.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan TD, outlined the importance of cybersecurity in supporting Ireland’s economic security and wider resilience objectives. 

The event featured Professor David J. Hickton, former US Attorney and founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy and Security (PittCyber), who provided a transatlantic perspective on the growing links between cybersecurity, economic competitiveness and national resilience and explored why international cooperation is essential to both resilience and innovation.

The discussion comes at an important point in Ireland’s EU Presidency, as European policymakers seek to strengthen competitiveness, security and resilience while implementing landmark legislation including NIS2, DORA and the Cyber Resilience Act. It also comes as negotiations continue on the proposed revision of the EU Cybersecurity Act (CSA2), which aims to strengthen the role of ENISA, improve cybersecurity certification and address ICT supply chain security.

For Irish businesses, these developments present both challenges and opportunities. While cyber threats continue to increase in sophistication, organisations are also navigating an expanding regulatory landscape and growing expectations from customers, investors and supply chain partners.

Recent Digital Decade indicators show that only 41% of Irish enterprises use at least five ICT security measures, compared with an EU average of 57%, highlighting the importance of supporting businesses, particularly SMEs, in strengthening their cyber resilience.

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan TD said: “Cybersecurity is fundamental to Ireland's prosperity, security and long-term resilience. As Ireland's economy becomes increasingly digital and interconnected, today's discussion underscores the vital role business resilience play in supporting national resilience, economic security and competitiveness. Through Ireland's EU Presidency and the newly published National Cyber Security Strategy, we are committed to strengthening resilience across our economy and society while remaining open, connected and engaged with our international partners. Continued collaboration between government, industry, academia and our European and global partners will be essential to ensuring Ireland remains a secure, innovative and attractive place to live, work and invest.”

This article was first published on 9 October by Trinity College Dublin.