Justice Committee to receive briefings on the National Cyber Security Bill 2024, Criminal Justice (Violation of EU Restrictive Measures) Bill 2025 and the Children (Amendment) Bill 2024

The National Cyber Security Bill 2024
The Criminal Justice (Violation of EU Restrictive Measures) Bill 2025
The Children (Amendment) Bill 2024

The meeting will take place in Committee Room 1 between 15:00-17:00. 

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Matt Carthy said: “We welcome the opportunity to receive detailed briefings on three important Bills. The Department: Children (Amendment) Bill 2024 seeks to address a number of issues and gaps that have arisen in the two decades since enactment of the Children Act 2001. The Bill provides for a number of amendments to the 2001 Act with a focus on the area of sentencing of children. The proposed amendments can be broadly categorised into four main objectives. 

Firstly, to provide for alternatives to suspended sentences for children by introducing a Deferred Sentence Supervision Order. The second objective of the Bill is to ensure that several existing community sanctions under the 2001 Children Act can be enforced once the child turns 18 years old. The third objective of the Bill is to set the age of eligibility for procedural entitlements under the 2001 Act to the age a person was when the offence was committed, and not the age the person is at the time of the trial. The fourth objective of the Bill is to provide for miscellaneous matters that relate to the administration of youth justice; including repeal of orders which are no longer utilised by the Courts and changes to the Board of Management of Oberstown.

The General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Violation of EU Restrictive Measures) Bill 2025 will give effect in Irish law to the EU Directive on the violation of union restrictive measures. Restrictive measures or sanctions – are adopted under the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. They include measures targeting natural and legal persons, such as asset freezes and travel bans. They also encompass specific sectoral measures, including trade prohibitions, and providing financial or other services. While these are of particular currency in relation to sanctions imposed as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Bill has broader applicability: there are over 50 such measures in force. Restrictive measures are adopted at European level, and have direct applicability. Member States are, however, required to introduce national rules to provide for effective, proportionate, and dissuasive penalties for breaches of sanctions, and to provide for a range of administrative measures to support effective implementation.

The transposition of the Directive was subject to a one-year transposition period, with a deadline of May of this year. This was acknowledged as particularly challenging by all Member States, and only seven Member States have thus far claimed to have completed it. In Ireland, it is being progressed as quickly as possible. The drafting of the Bill is being progressed and publication is expected during the Autumn session.

The National Cyber Security Bill 2024 represents a significant step in strengthening the State’s cyber security and resilience. It will enhance cyber security risk management in Ireland bringing with it significant improvements in our capacity to protect against and respond to major incidents. The primary objective of the Bill is to transpose the second EU Network and Information Security Directive known as the NIS2 Directive. The NIS2 Directive is a revision of the original NIS Directive which is currently in force in the State and will remain in full effect, covering the most critical operators of essential services and digital service providers in the State until the NIS2 Directive is transposed and enacted. In addition to transposing the NIS2 Directive, Government agreed that this Bill should be used to incorporate relevant provisions to establish the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on a statutory basis and provide for related matters including clarity around its mandate and role.

We look forward to a constructive, detailed discussion on the Bills with Department Officials.”

Watch the meeting live here or on the Oireachtas smartphone app for Apple and Android.