Cybersecurity: UK Government Invests £18.9m in Northern Ireland

The UK Government has announced a £18.9 million injection into Northern Ireland’s cybersecurity industry.

£11 million of the new funding will be provided through the government’s new deal for the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Government has claimed that the new funding will help develop a pipeline of cybersecurity professionals in Northern Ireland as well as helping companies and startups develop new opportunities.

The investment will see the creation of a new Cyber-AI Hub at the Centre for Secure Information Technologies in Belfast, helping to create new jobs as well as support the research and development of future AI-enabled cyber security projects.

The funding will also ensure a pipeline of newly qualified cyber professionals, with the creation of a Doctoral training programme and Masters bursaries helping to deliver on the government’s promise of 5,000 cyber professionals in Northern Ireland before 2030, as well as supporting the government’s £2.6bn National Cyber Strategy.

Steve Baker, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, said “This funding will help to create jobs and strengthen Northern Ireland’s economy, ensuring Northern Ireland continues to lead the way in cyber security. We have world-class talent and expertise in Northern Ireland, and the Government is committed to developing cyber security professionals, here and across the UK.”

“The funding will have an immediate positive impact on Northern Ireland’s cyber sector, and with Belfast hosting the UK’s leading cyber security conference in April, I’m looking forward to seeing Northern Ireland’s deserved recognition as a global cyber security hub.”