Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
74. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department will fund projects where needed to upgrade and protect the IT systems of not-for-profit organisations against ransomware attacks, in view of reports that Irish non-profit organisations have been put at risk following a ransomware attack on a data management company in Northern Ireland. [19263/23]
View answerIT security measures, including installation of software to protect against ransomware attacks, is generally a matter for not-for-profit organisations themselves to ensure are in place.
Some programmes and schemes managed by my Department allow for indirect costs to be included in the administration fees. This may include, as part of IT requirements, anti-virus software or security software to protect against ransomware attacks.
Funding may be available through the LEADER Programme to upgrade and protect the IT systems of not-for-profit organisations against ransomware attacks. Organisations should, in the first instance, contact their relevant Local Action Group (LAG), through its Implementing Partner, to discuss relevant funding that may be available. The list of all Local Action Groups, their Implementing Partners and their contact details, is available on the Gov.ie website.
The Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) plays a significant role in Government’s support to our national community and voluntary organisations through the provision of multi-annual funding towards their day to day operations. The overall aim of the SSNO 2022-2025 is to provide multi-annual funding towards core costs of national organisations in the community and voluntary sector, to assist them to operate and fund core staff positions. The SSNO 2022-2025 included provision for organisations to make an application for a defined percentage of indirect costs for the applicant’s national office, which included IT costs.
