26.02.2003 - Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) Inaugural Meeting

It is a great honour and privilege for me to address the inaugural meeting of the Irish Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to your President, Paddy Roberts and to Vice-Presidents, Owen OConnor and Roy Madden, whom I know, were instrumental in establishing the Irish chapter. 

I wish them every success in their endeavours to advance your profession and stimulate public awareness of the importance of information systems security, particularly in the context of the increasing use and exchange of information across more and more boundaries. 

The Government's Vision   

My own interest in your work arises from my role as Minister with responsibility for the Information Society. Working in collaboration with other Departments and their agencies, my role is to co-ordinate the seven strands of theInformation Society agenda being driven centrally by the Department of the Taoiseach.   

The area of Information Security is a key enabler of building a thriving Information Society. Both the General Public and the Business Community need to be confident that all electronic transactions are as secure as paper-based ones. There is a range of threats that need to be addressed. These include hacking, spreading harmful viruses, denial of service attacks and other forms of disruption of networks. There is a need to protect information in accordance with good Data protection principles and a continuing need to tackle fraudulent use of data.

To promote engagement with the Information Society it is important to build and maintain trust and confidence so that businesses can be confident their information systems are secure and consumers can do business online in an environment of trust. This need is reflected in 'New Connections', the Government's Information Society Action Plan, and its importance has been echoed in the most recently published reports of the Information Society Commission.   

The pace of development of electronically enabled services is truly astonishing. Since my appointment I have seen many exciting online initiatives being pioneered by Government Departments, local authorities, businesses and by citizens themselves. People are really seeing the possibilities for transforming the way they do their business, how technology can act as a lever to bring them to new levels of living and working.  A key factor in pushing out these horizons is that people must have the trust and confidence to transact business online knowing that their information is secure, and that those who have access to it are accountable.   

Government is addressing this area on a number of fronts.  Departments and Agencies need to have proper information security systems so that the Citizen can be confident of the security of the information they provide us. We must ensure that there is a comprehensive legal framework to deal with these issues. We are putting in place a legal framework to foster trust and confidence within businesses to operate online and for citizens have the confidence to take up these services.   

Cyber-crime must be tackled and, of course, the protection of data is a fundamental principle. In this regard, a number of important legislative measures have already been or are being enacted including: 

  • the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001;

  • t he Communications Regulation Act 2002;

  • the Electronic Commerce Act 2000;

  • the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000;

  • the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998;

  • Data Protection (Amendment) Bill;

  • Transposition of Electronic Communications Directives.  

As well as these measures the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is chairing an Inter-Departmental Group on Information and Network security. Given the significance of modern technology for Ireland in asserting itself as serious player in the global economy, it is important that Ireland uses the highest international standards.   

I welcome the establishment of your professional organisation and the coming together of so much expertise, which can only serve to benefit the industry in Ireland. Also it is important that Government gets to hear the views of the industry on the impact of laws or other Government initiatives.    

I have no doubt that as a group, you will be making your views known and that these will contribute to the development of the Information Society in Ireland.

I would like to take this opportunity again to wish you every success in what promises to be an exciting future.   

Davenport Hotel, Dublin