[360] 9 “single point of contact” means the person designated as the single point of contact in the State under Regulation 9; “single point of contact in another member state” means the person designated as the single point of contact in a member state (other than the State) for the purposes of the Directive; “top-level domain name registry” means an entity which administers and operates the registration of internet domain names under a specific top-level domain; “Union” means the European Union. (2) A word or expression which is used in these Regulations and which is also used in the Directive has, unless the context otherwise requires, the same meaning in these Regulations as it has in the Directive. Application 3. (1) These Regulations, other than Regulation 26, apply in respect of operators of essential services and digital service providers. (2) Regulation 17 shall not apply in respect of an operator of essential services in any of the following sectors: (i) the sector referred to in number 3 of column (1) of Schedule 1 (ii) the sector referred to in number 4 of column (1) of Schedule 1. (3) These Regulations are without prejudice to the European Union (Combatting the Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Children and Child Pornography) Regulations 2015 (S.I. No. 309 of 2015) and the Criminal Justice (Offences relating to Information Systems) Act 2017 (No. 11 of 2017). Safeguarding of State’s essential functions 4. Nothing in these Regulations shall prejudice the ability of the State to safeguard its essential functions, in particular its national security, including taking action to protect information the disclosure of which is considered by the competent authority referred to in Regulation 7(1) to be contrary to the State’s essential security interests, the maintenance of law and order and, in particular, to allow for the investigation, detection and prosecution of criminal offences. Sharing of information 5. (1) Information may be shared by a competent authority, the CSIRT or the single point of contact in accordance with these Regulations. (2) Information shared in accordance with these Regulations may include personal data. (3) Where a competent authority, the CSIRT or the single point of contact shares information under these Regulations in relation to an operator of essential services or a digital service provider, the competent authority, CSIRT or