New Approach to Digital Resilience needed

Ireland’s growing importance to European and global connectivity requires a new approach to safeguarding the digital infrastructure on which economies, public services and societies increasingly depend, according to new research published today by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA).

The paper, Secure Connections: Ireland’s Digital Infrastructure and the Resilience of European Connectivity, finds that Ireland’s position as a gateway for transatlantic and European data flows means the resilience of its digital infrastructure is now a matter of strategic importance extending well beyond the State.

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With approximately 75% of transatlantic cables passing through or near Irish waters, and increasing reliance on telecommunications networks, data centres, cloud infrastructure and emerging satellite technologies, the paper argues that resilience must be treated as a strategic national priority and supported through long-term policy, investment and collaboration between Government and industry.

The paper, co-authored by Cian Fitzgerald, Senior Researcher, and Dr Barry Colfer, Director of Research at the IIEA, in partnership with Vodafone Ireland, follows a series of high-level roundtable discussions involving former ministers, senior government officials, telecommunications providers, regulators, infrastructure operators, security experts and academics.

The paper and recommendations will be presented at a symposium, organised in partnership with Vodafone Ireland at the company’s headquarters on Thursday, 23 July. Feargal Ó Coigligh, Secretary General of the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, will deliver a keynote address.

While highlighting the growing range of risks facing critical digital infrastructure – including cyberattacks, geopolitical tensions, supply chain vulnerabilities and extreme weather events – the research concludes that resilience depends not only on protecting infrastructure from disruption, but also on creating the conditions for continued investment, innovation and the development of future digital networks. A recurring theme throughout the roundtables was that regulatory complexity had outpaced the capacity of the State to manage it effectively.

Among the report recommendations are:

• Establishing a clearer framework for sharing resilience responsibilities between the State and industry, including consideration of a ‘resilience tax credit’ to support private sector investment in security and resilience measures.
• Providing greater long-term certainty on spectrum policy* to encourage continued investment in network capability, resilience and security.
• Establishing a new agency responsible for space as digital infrastructure can no longer be understood in purely terrestrial or subsea terms.
• Ensuring national security and resilience considerations are reflected in judicial review reform for strategic infrastructure.
• Accelerating the creation of a national security clearance system to improve information-sharing between Government and industry.
• Conducting regular joint crisis exercises and simulations to strengthen preparedness for cyberattacks, sabotage and extreme weather events.

Commenting on the findings, Cian Fitzgerald, Senior Researcher at the IIEA and co-author of the report, said:
“Ireland’s digital infrastructure now plays a critical role in connecting Europe to the wider world. The networks, cables, data centres and cloud systems located here underpin economic activity, public services and communications far beyond Ireland’s borders.”

“Our research highlights the need for a more structured partnership between Government and industry to strengthen resilience. As the threat environment becomes more complex, resilience must be supported through long-term investment, improved information-sharing and a shared understanding of risk.”

The report also highlights concerns regarding growing exposure to hybrid threats, the concentration of cloud services among a limited number of providers, and regulatory and planning barriers that can delay investment in resilience and redundancy.

Speaking at the report launch, Sabrina Casalta, CEO, Vodafone Ireland, said:
“Ireland sits at the heart of Europe’s digital connectivity, making the resilience of its communications infrastructure a strategic issue not just for Ireland but for Europe. As the Irish government consider the future of digital connectivity infrastructure through initiatives such as the Digital Networks Act and the Cybersecurity Act, it is essential that resilience, competitiveness and investment are recognised as mutually reinforcing objectives. The recommendations in this report provide a valuable contribution to that discussion and highlight the importance of closer collaboration between Government, regulators and industry to strengthen Ireland’s long-term resilience.”

Dr Orlaigh Quinn, Interim Director General of the IIEA, said:
“As Ireland’s importance within Europe’s digital ecosystem continues to grow, so too does the need for informed public debate and practical policy solutions. This research, led by the IIEA in partnership with its member, Vodafone Ireland, makes a valuable contribution to that discussion and highlights why resilience must now be understood as a core element of both national and European security.”

The report concludes that safeguarding telecommunications and digital infrastructure will be essential to maintaining economic security, public services and national resilience in the years ahead, requiring sustained collaboration between Government and industry and a long-term commitment to investment in secure and resilient connectivity.

Secure Connections: Ireland’s Digital Infrastructure and the Resilience of European Connectivity is available to download on the IIEA website here.

Notes  = *Spectrum is the invisible infrastructure that allows mobile phones and wireless devices to connect to networks for calls, texts and data.

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