Cybersecurity has become a constant boardroom presence — but one that’s still too often reactive rather than strategic.
According to PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey, more than half (57 per cent) of Irish firms have increased their investment in cyber risk management over the past year, reflecting a shared urgency to strengthen defences.
Yet just 8 per cent of Irish organisations spend significantly more on proactive cybersecurity than reactive measures — far below the global figure of 24 per cent.
The numbers reveal a paradox: Irish companies recognise the threat, but they remain less ready than peers to meet it. The same survey shows that while AI is now the top global investment priority for cybersecurity (36 per cent), Irish firms face greater challenges adopting it for cyber defence. More than half (52 per cent) cite an unclear risk appetite as the main barrier, well above the global average of 39 per cent.
There are gaps elsewhere, too. Only 8 per cent of Irish companies are actively implementing quantum-resistant technologies, compared with 22 per cent globally — a worrying lag given that…
