Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health David Cullinane TD has said that the latest cyberattack on the HSE prompts questions on the robustness of the State’s cybersecurity.

Teachta Cullinane said:

“This is a very serious development and while systems are under attack all the time, this was a successful attack; at least in breaking through.

“It is possibly the most significant cyberattack on the Irish State, and prompts questions on the robustness of the State’s cybersecurity.

“This goes right to the heart of data and system security, not to mention the impact it has had on services.

“It is for the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau to pursue the criminal element, but there is a need for this to have minimal impact on services.

“Some hospitals have cancelled many of their services and clinics, and there will be significant disruption potentially for a number of days to other services.

“Clarity is needed from the HSE on the timeline for re-opening of services, and Government needs to ensure that any additional supports or protections which need to be put in place are resourced.

“We need to know how this happened, what the source of it was, how the systems were impacted, and how it can be prevented from happening again.

“There is a need to focus now on ensuring a robust system is in place to fully protect the system and prevent further attacks like this being successful.

“There will need to be a review of the HSE and the State’s cyber defences to ensure that systems and data are protected.

“It is equally important that services are resumed as quickly as possible.

“Healthcare workers are facing a difficult situation already with Covid and waiting lists, and further disruption will create a very challenging environment.”