national infrastructure operators are far better prepared to deal with cyber security related risks than before. The technology sector is characterised by its extreme dynamism however, and it appears likely that a fresh wave of developments are about to emerge, centred around virtualised networks using advanced communications protocols (such as 5G), Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things. In turn, these recursively linked developments will likely have a vast range of use cases, meaning that they will penetrate further into the lives of citizens and the key infrastructure that services depend on. Moreover, the software based nature of this technology is such that new regulatory and governance tools are likely to be required to ensure that both data and services are resilient and secure. These developments have been accompanied by the rapid growth of a global industry providing products and services aimed at securing digital systems and infrastructure. With over 6,500 people employed in the cyber security sector in Ireland, the industry is already a key part of the technology sector here, both in its own right and as an enabler for investment in related sectors here. Sustaining and building on this success is an essential part of ensuring future economic growth and high value jobs, and also ensuring that a cyber security ecosystem with adequate critical mass exists in the State. The integration of digital technologies at a national level remains an ongoing process also, and one that has seen considerable Government action. The 2015 Public Service ICT Strategy has been augmented by ‘Our Public Service 2020’, a new policy framework designed to build on these previous reforms while expanding the scope of reform to focus on collaboration, innovation and evaluation. At a national level, the National Broadband Plan will ensure that more than half a million people will have access to high speed broadband for the first time, and the forthcoming National Digital Strategy will set out how Government intends to ensure that the benefits of digitisation are available for all. Taken together, these will continue to have positive effects on economic growth, regional balance and individual opportunity; however this digitisation also brings a degree of risk. This Strategy sets out how Ireland will embrace these challenges, and also how we plan to take advantage of the enterprise and job creation opportunities flowing from these global technological developments. This Strategy sets out a series of measures designed to address some of the complex challenges associated with sustaining and growing the number of people employed in this sector. 4