"Health Minister Must Provide Update on Cyber Attack to Opposition Leaders" - Tóibín
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has called on the Minister for Health to provide an update to opposition party leaders on the government's efforts to overcome last month's cyber attack on the HSE and the Department of Health.
Speaking today, Deputy Tóibín said:
"It is now over a month since criminals launched a cyber attack on the HSE and the Department of Health, bringing our health service, hospitals and government to its knees. As well as the devastating impact this cruel attack has had on the frontlines, and on our country's most vulnerable, there has also been a major impact on the functioning of our Dáil. I have not been able to ask any parliamentary questions of Stephen Donnelly in a month, neither has any other opposition TD. While I understand there are issues with the systems in the Department, it is no excuse for the Minister to dodge questions. We all understand that there are files, statistics and information which are compromised and that this will inhibit the Minister's ability to answer questions. However, there is nothing to stop the Minister from meeting with opposition leaders behind closed doors and brief us on the situation".
Deputy Tóibín continued: "I have serious concerns also about other government Departments - it would appear that the Department of Children is also effected by the cyber attack - there are, I believe, a number of files which are held by the Department of Health and haven't yet been transferred to the Department of Children and Equality. We know for sure that there are adoption files and files in relation to Disability which the Minister for Disabilities and the Minister for Children cannot access as they still rest with the Department of Health. We also know there are adoption files which fall under the remit of the Department of Children but are stored by the Department of Health. I believe we need to have a meeting of party leaders to discuss these issues and that the government must outline to us the extent to which other government departments have been affected by the cyber attack. To date the Minister for Children has refused to reveal to me the extent to which his Department has been compromised by the attack", concluded Tóibín.
