5 New Year’s IT Resolutions
Every Irish SME Should Make
A new year. The same IT risks if nothing changes. 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for how Irish businesses approach security and growth.
January is when many businesses set goals around growth and efficiency. IT rarely makes the list yet; it underpins almost everything a modern business does.
Cyber threats continue to rise. Regulations are tightening. Downtime is less tolerable than ever. Here are five practical IT resolutions that will genuinely make a difference this year.
1. Stop treating cybersecurity as an IT issue
Cybersecurity is no longer just about firewalls and software updates. It is a business risk that affects revenue, reputation, and trust. For many organisations, security is still seen as something “IT handles”. That mindset leaves gaps.
In 2026, the focus should be on:
- Knowing where your real risks are, not just what tools you have
- Reducing exposure rather than reacting after an incident
- Aligning security with how your business actually operates
2. Prepare properly for NIS2
NIS2 is already changing expectations around cybersecurity in Ireland and across the EU. Many SMEs assume it only applies to large enterprises. That assumption is inaccurate and risky.
Even if not directly in scope, you may be affected because:
3. Move from reactive IT to proactive risk reduction
If IT only gets attention when something breaks, the business is always on the back foot. Reactive IT leads to unexpected downtime, frustrated staff, and lost productivity.
"Proactive IT focuses on identifying issues early, fixing them quietly, and reducing disruption before users ever notice."
4. Make people your strongest security layer
Most cyber incidents still begin with a human action. A click. A reused password. That does not mean staff are the problem; it means they must be part of the solution.
5. Build resilience, not just recovery
Backups are essential, but on their own, they are no longer enough. Resilience is about continuity. It is the difference between a bad day and a serious business disruption.
Critical Questions for 2026:
- How quickly can systems be restored?
- What happens in the first hours after an incident?
- Who is responsible for what when something goes wrong?
NIS2 Explained. In Plain English.
NIS2 is an EU directive designed to raise the standard of cybersecurity across essential and important organisations. Ireland is transposing it into national law, and enforcement expectations are increasing.
For Irish SMEs, the key takeaway is this: You do not need to be a large enterprise to be affected. If you provide services to regulated organisations, expectations around security are rising.
Unsure of your status? Check our NIS2 Information page or use our Scope & Compliance Assessment Tool to see where you stand.
What NIS2 is about:
- Understanding your cyber risks
- Putting reasonable protections in place
- Policies, procedures & accountability
- Incident response & reporting