€4.2m project launched to provide cyber security funds for small firms
A new National Cyber Security Coordination and Development Centre (NCC-IE) project for Ireland has been announced.
The role of the NCC-IE project, which sits within the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), is to coordinate with industry, academia, research and other stakeholders to develop awareness of and promote funding supports and associated networking opportunities;
It also aims to distribute EU and national funds to industry and societal stakeholders, notably small and medium sized enterprises (SME), with the aim of strengthening the uptake of state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions; and to contribute to policy and strategy formulation on cybersecurity funding.
The NCC-IE project will run for two years and is being joint-funded by an EU contribution of €2 million and €2.2 million from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
This funding, which is in line with similar investments in other EU Member States, will resource the NCSC’s capacity-building function and finance a support programme for industry and societal stakeholders to facilitate cybersecurity innovation and resilience.
The project, which is due to commence in the autumn, will help meet national obligations under EU law with a focus on creating a vibrant national cybersecurity ecosystem that is engaged with communities in other EU Member States.
Through this project, the NCSC will work with the national industry cluster, Cyber Ireland, and relevant State agencies to encourage a more Eurocentric approach in the interests of EU cohesion and of maintaining ongoing access to the Single Market. This will include a focus on supporting indigenous Irish enterprises to build industrial capacity in cybersecurity.
This project was among a number successful applications from Ireland under the Digital Europe Cybersecurity call for proposals that closed in February. Approximately €7.8 million of EU funding is being provided to various parties in Ireland to improve cybersecurity capabilities.
The development and implementation of the National Cyber Security Coordination and Development Centre for Ireland, known as the NCC-IE, falls under the capacity building remit of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and is a key priority identified as part of the mid-term review of Ireland’s National Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024.
“This is an exciting new development for the NCSC,” said Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with responsibility for Communications, Ossian Smyth.
“It is important that we play our part as a member of the EU in seizing the cybersecurity opportunities as regards research, innovation, technological development and commercial exploitation as part of the Green Deal and Digital Transformation agendas.”
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