Protecting Ireland from cyber attacks and the digitalisation of the economy were to the fore of local Minister Niamh Smyth's agenda on her St Patrick's Day mission across four countries last week. Minister Smyth held engagements in Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia over the course of seven days. A key part of Minister Smyth's meetings across all four countries focussed on Cyber security and how the advancement of technology can assist small countries like Ireland in a digital attack. This saw the Minister attend the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia where she received a briefing from Ireland's permanent defence representative in the centre, Cmdt Frank Hickey. The protection of Ireland's undersea cable network was also a key part of the meeting.
Minister Smyth’s start to her mission brought her to Helsinki where the Finnish Embassy is headed by Ambassador Paul Sherlock, who hails from Monaghan Town. Unfortunately, the Ambassador suffered the very sad loss of his father, Michael, at the end of the week of the engagements. Mr Sherlock’s funeral mass took place in St Macartan’s Cathedral last Saturday week. During the course of her engagements in Lithuania, Minister Smyth was special guest at an Irish business dinner hosted by Ambassador Séadhna MacHugh. One of the attendees was local Cavan man James Clarke who is Chairman and CIO of Baltic Sea Properties. While on a visit to the local University in Kaunas, where there are some 40 Irish students, the minister met with two medical students from Cavan. All four countries that the minister visited have exemplary digital services across government departments and this is something that Minister Smyth is keen to see replicated.
A key part of Minister Smyth’s meetings across all four countries focused on Cyber security and how the advancement of technology can assist small countries like Ireland in a digital attack. This saw the Minister attend the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia where she received a briefing from Ireland’s permanent defence representative in the centre, Cmdt Frank Hickey. The protection of Ireland’s undersea cable network was a key part of the meeting and Minister Smyth expressed her thanks to Cmdt. Hickey for the work being done at the centre by him.
