When a Donegal manufacturing company approached Enterprise Ireland about improving its cybersecurity after a near-miss with ransomware in late 2024, the development advisor told them something that changed the entire conversation: the state would cover 80% of the cost of both an independent expert review and the subsequent remediation work. The business had been budgeting for a €40,000 security project it could not justify. The actual cost to the company, using available grants, was under €10,000.
Most Irish SMEs know they need to improve their cybersecurity. What most do not know is that the Irish government, through Enterprise Ireland, the NCSC Ireland, and the Local Enterprise Offices, will fund a significant proportion of that work. This guide covers every current option — who qualifies, how much is available, and how to apply.
The Two-Stage Grant Pipeline
The most important thing to understand about Irish cybersecurity funding is that the two largest grants operate as a sequential pipeline. Stage 1 must be completed before Stage 2 becomes available. This is deliberate — the government wants improvement funding spent on the right priorities, not guesswork.
Stage 1: Enterprise Ireland Cyber Security Review Grant
This grant provides access to a qualified cybersecurity expert — who must hold CISA, CISSP, or CISM certification — to conduct an independent review of your company's security posture across 14 areas aligned to the NCSC Ireland's CyFUN framework. The total project cost is fixed at €3,000. Enterprise Ireland covers 80%, so your business pays €600.[^1]
The output is not a generic checklist. It is a prioritised, expert-written action plan with named owners, time estimates, and a 6-to-12-month implementation roadmap. This document becomes the foundation for everything that follows, including the much larger Stage 2 grant.
To qualify, your business must be a current Enterprise Ireland client with an assigned development advisor. If you are not yet a client, you can apply directly through the Enterprise Ireland website — the process typically takes two to four weeks.
Stage 2: NCC-IE Cyber Security Improvement Grant
Once your Stage 1 review is complete, you become eligible for the NCC-IE Cyber Security Improvement Grant, co-funded by the EU Digital Europe Programme. This grant covers 80% of eligible project costs, with a minimum project cost of €25,000 and a maximum grant of €60,000. The 2024–2025 round awarded €1,806,405 to 52 Irish SMEs across three application rounds.
The critical requirement is that the improvement work must implement the priority recommendations from your Stage 1 review. You cannot use this grant for unrelated IT upgrades. Procurement rules apply — three written quotes for work under €50,000, or an open tender process for larger projects.
Combined, the two stages provide a maximum of €62,400 in state funding, covering 80% of up to €78,000 in cybersecurity investment.
Not sure which grants your business qualifies for? Book a free 20-minute strategy call — we help Donegal and North-West businesses navigate the funding landscape and prepare grant applications, including acting as the certified consultant for Stage 1 reviews at a net cost to you of just €600.
Other Funding Routes for Irish SMEs
LEO Grow Digital Voucher
For businesses not currently Enterprise Ireland clients — typically those with fewer than 50 employees — the Local Enterprise Office Grow Digital Voucher covers 50% of eligible costs for cybersecurity software, training, and IT configuration, up to a maximum of €5,000. There is a prerequisite: you must have completed a Digital for Business project with your LEO within the previous two years. Contact your local LEO to discuss your needs and the eligibility requirements.
Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher
This provides €10,000 in time with a publicly funded knowledge provider — university or institute of technology — to explore business challenges including cybersecurity. A co-funded option covers projects up to €20,000 with the company contributing 50%. This is specifically for working with academic researchers, not for hiring commercial consultants.
Skillnet Ireland Subsidised Training
Skillnet Ireland supports over 23,000 Irish SMEs annually through 70 business networks. The ICT Skillnet offers part-funded cybersecurity courses ranging from short professional development programmes to a subsidised MSc in Cybersecurity at a fraction of the full commercial cost. Membership of a Skillnet business network is straightforward and often free for SMEs.
European Digital Innovation Hubs
Ireland's EDIH network — which received €23 million in Phase 2 funding through to 2029 — provides free cybersecurity assessments, digital maturity reviews, and test-before-invest services to any Irish SME, regardless of sector or existing agency relationships. The EDIH assessment can serve as a useful starting point before committing to the formal Enterprise Ireland review process.
The Revenue R&D Tax Credit
If your business is genuinely developing new cybersecurity tools or processes — not implementing existing ones — the Revenue R&D Tax Credit may apply. The rate increased to 30% for accounting periods from 1 January 2024, and the first €50,000 is payable as a cash refund even without corporation tax liability. This applies to genuine R&D that advances the state of the art, not to purchasing commercial software. Talk to your accountant before claiming.[^2]
What Is Coming in 2026
The Irish government's Digital Ireland strategy, published in February 2026, commits to a new National Cyber Security Strategy with targeted grant funding specifically for SMEs with NIS2 obligations. A new round of the NCC-IE Improvement Grant is widely expected. If your business has not yet completed Stage 1, now is the time — before the next round opens and budget is exhausted.
The Data Protection Commission has also signalled increased engagement with Irish SMEs on GDPR compliance, which intersects directly with cybersecurity investment. Businesses that can demonstrate investment in data security — through grant-funded reviews and improvements — are better positioned in any DPC engagement.[^3]
What Next: Three Actions This Quarter
First, confirm your Enterprise Ireland eligibility this week. Contact your regional Enterprise Ireland office or development advisor to establish whether you qualify as a client. The North-West office covers Donegal and surrounding counties. If you already have a development advisor, contact them directly to request the Cyber Security Review Grant application.
Second, contact your Local Enterprise Office if you are not an Enterprise Ireland client. Ask about the Grow Digital Voucher and the Digital for Business prerequisite. Most LEOs can move quickly once the prerequisite is complete. Start that process now rather than waiting until you have experienced an incident.
Third, act before the next grant round opens. The NCC-IE Improvement Grant is expected to return in 2026 with a new application window. Businesses that have already completed Stage 1 will be positioned to apply immediately. Those that have not will be starting from scratch while the budget fills up. The combined funding available to a typical Irish SME — between €7,400 and €67,400 in direct grants, plus subsidised training — is too significant to leave unclaimed.
[^1]: NCSC Ireland — Advice for Organisations [^2]: An Garda Síochána — Cybercrime [^3]: Data Protection Commission Ireland
Related Reading
- Enterprise Ireland Cyber Security Review Grant: Complete Guide
- CyFUN Explained: Ireland's NCSC Cyber Fundamentals Framework for SMEs
- NIS2 Compliance Checklist for Irish SMEs
Pragmatic Security — Cybersecurity advisory for Irish businesses. Based in Donegal, Ireland. CISA, CISSP, CISM certified advisors.