Why You Can't Afford to Ignore the 2024 National Cyber Emergency Plan:

The National Cyber Emergency Plan (NCEP) sets out the national approach for responding to serious cyber security incidents that affect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of nationally important information technology and operational technology systems and networks.

It was developed following extensive engagement throughout both the public and private sectors, and two sector-specific emergency exercises in 2022 and 2023, as well as lessons learned from the HSE ransomware attack in 2021.

The NCEP is designed to:

• Outline the process by which a National Cyber Emergency might be effectively declared, managed and coordinated. Describe Ireland's strategy for dealing with cyber threats, which is essential for individuals, businesses, and government entities to understand.
• Provide insights into the country's preparedness and response protocols in the event of a cyber emergency, ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
• Provide for clear and timely communications to the public around serious cyber incidents. Illustrate how to recognize and respond to cyber threats.

The publication of the plan ensures seamless co-ordination with the national approach to emergency management, as established in the ‘Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) National Structures and Framework’. The NCEP outlines the structures for coordinating a “whole of Government” approach to preparing for and responding to a cyber emergency. The primary audience for the NCEP are officials from Government Departments/Agencies who have a role in the response to national cyber emergencies. The 2024 National Cyber Emergency Plan is important to read because it provides a comprehensive framework for managing cyber risks, ensuring national security, and promoting a collective understanding of how to respond effectively to cyber threats. The priority during any national cyber emergency is the restoration of services critical to functioning of the State and ending the national cyber emergency.  

The National Cyber Emergency plan can be found here.