Cyber Security to the fore in Minister Smyth’s St Patrick’s Day Mission

The first stop was Herlsinki where where the Finnish Embassy is headed by Ambassador Paul Sherlock, who hails from Monaghan Town.

Protecting Ireland from cyber attacks and the digitalisation of its economy were to the fore of local Minister Niamh Smyth’s agenda on her St Patrick’s Day mission across four countries last week.

Minister Smyth held engagements in Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia over the course of seven days. There were also some Cavan connections on the trip courtesy of both Irish business and students from home.

Minister Smyth’s start to her mission brought her to Helsinki where the Finnish Embassy is headed by Ambassador Paul Sherlock, who hails from Monaghan Town.

Unfortunately, the Ambassador suffered the very sad loss of his father, Michael, at the end of the week of the engagements. Mr Sherlock’s Funeral Mass took place in St McCartan’s Cathedral last Saturday week.

During the course of her engagements in Lithuania, Minister Smyth was a special guest at an Irish business dinner hosted by Ambassador Séadhna MacHugh. One of the attendees was Cavan man, James Clarke who is Chairman and CIO of Baltic Sea Properties.

While on a visit to the local University in Kaunas, where there are some 40 Irish students, the Minister met with two medical students from the county.

Meanwhile, all four countries that the minister visited have exemplary digital services across government departments and this is something that Minister Smyth is keen to see replicated.

A key part of her meetings focussed on Cyber security and how the advancement of technology can assist small countries like Ireland in a digital attack.

Minister Smyth subsequently attended the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia where she received a briefing from Ireland’s permanent defence representative in the centre, Cmdt Frank Hickey.

The protection of Ireland’s undersea cable network was a key part of the meeting and Minister Smyth expressed her thanks to Cmdt. Hickey for the work being done at the centre by him.

The week ended with a reception in Estonia hosted by Ambassador James Sherry, from Monaghan, in the Opera House in Tallinn.

Minister Smyth delivered remarks to an attendance of over 200 guests and naturally had some particularly warm words for the Ambassador and the work that he is doing in the Baltic State.