Irish cyber leaders grapple with talent shortages and AI threats amid rising stress levels.
Irish organisations are ramping up cybersecurity efforts, but persistent challenges in talent retention, training investment and AI-related risks are testing the resilience of cyber leaders, according to EY Ireland’s inaugural Cyber Leaders Index.
The study, which canvassed 165 senior cyber executives across corporate, health, life sciences and government sectors, found that 83 per cent of organisations had enhanced cybersecurity measures in the past six months. Despite this, 72 per cent of respondents reported difficulty securing budget for staff cyber awareness training, while 43 per cent cited challenges in hiring and retaining skilled personnel.
“Defences are only as strong as their weakest point. Yet investment is not always going where it matters most, with gaps in staff training and talent retention remaining areas of concern”
AI and data security emerged as top priorities for nearly half of respondents, yet 44 per cent said they faced budgetary constraints in implementing AI-related security initiatives. The findings suggest that while strategic intent is strong, internal competition for AI funding may be limiting cybersecurity investment.
Cyber threats escalate
“Cyber threats are escalating, with major breaches reported almost every week,” said Puneet Kukreja, Technology Consulting Partner and Head of Cyber at EY Ireland. “Defences are only as strong as their weakest point. Yet investment is not always going where it matters most, with gaps in staff training and talent retention remaining areas of concern.”
The report also highlighted growing concern around third-party and supply chain threats, with 68 per cent of respondents identifying this as a priority. However, only 4 per cent listed vendor risk among their top concerns, indicating a potential disconnect between strategic focus and operational risk perception.
Compliance pressures are also mounting. Nearly half of respondents said they had updated data handling and monitoring practices in response to the EU AI Act, while 39 per cent had revised their data protection impact assessments. Regulatory frameworks such as NIS2 were cited as priorities by 39 per cent of leaders.
Carol Murphy, Consulting Partner and Head of Markets at EY Ireland, said: “Irish organisations are strengthening their cyber resilience, with most reporting enhanced defences and stable or increased budgets. The challenge now is to direct that investment towards people and partnerships, ensuring teams are trained, supported and equipped to manage the growing demands of compliance and third-party risk.”
The report also flagged burnout as an emerging risk. Thirty-seven per cent of cyber leaders expressed concern about gaps in their organisation’s cyber risk coverage, while 26 per cent reported negative mental health impacts. One in five said these pressures were affecting their personal lives.
“Our research shows that stress is fast becoming a hidden cyber risk for organisations,” Kukreja said. “Boards and business leaders must start considering the welfare of their cyber teams as a material business risk. That also means helping teams manage pressure by clearly defining the organisation’s cyber risk appetite.”
The EY Ireland Cyber Leaders Index 2025 was conducted by Empathy Research between July and August 2025. Respondents included CTOs, CIOs, Chief Data Officers, CEOs, CFOs and board members from organisations across Ireland.
Image at top: Carol Murphy, Consulting Partner and Head of Markets EY Ireland, Puneet Kukreja, Technology Consulting Partner and Head of Cyber EY Ireland and Megan Conway, Consulting Partner EY Ireland. Photo: Naoise Culhane
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