Major Tech Layoffs Announced Across Irish Operations

Three major technology companies have announced significant workforce reductions in Ireland. Covalen is cutting around 700 roles at its Irish operations, while Meta is cutting about 20% of its Irish workforce—double the planned global average cut at the company. TikTok is considering cutting about 300 staff in a restructure impacting its AI data service and operations team in Ireland.

ICT Employment in Sharp Decline

These announcements coincide with broader employment pressures in Ireland’s information and communications technology sector. In Q1 2026, overall jobs in Ireland’s ICT sector fell almost 11% year-on-year. The decline is particularly acute among younger workers: employment in ICT among the under-30s in Ireland dropped by almost one-third between 2023 and 2025, according to a government analysis.

The Irish Department of Finance report reveals a contrasting trend among older workers. Young workers aged 15 to 29 in Ireland’s tech sector saw employment fall 20% between 2023 and 2025, while employment for prime-age workers aged 30 to 59 in Ireland’s tech sector grew by 12% over the same period.

Ireland’s Tech Sector Vulnerable to AI Impact

Ireland faces particular exposure to AI-driven labor market shifts. More than 6% of Ireland’s workforce is employed in the tech sector, higher than the EU average. According to the Irish Department of Finance, about 63% of jobs in Ireland are ‘relatively exposed’ to AI.

Sectoral analysis shows divergent trajectories. High-AI-risk sectors in Ireland, including financial services and tech, experienced employment growth of only 4% between 2023 and 2025. By contrast, low-AI-risk sectors in Ireland, such as construction and healthcare, experienced employment growth of 6.25% over the same 2023–2025 period.

Broader Global Context

Bloomberg Economics estimates that 27% of workers in advanced economies are likely to be meaningfully affected by AI, placing Ireland’s tech-heavy economy at heightened risk.

Job market signals reflect growing AI demand. In November 2025, over 11% of all job postings in Ireland on Indeed referenced AI-related terms, around three times the level recorded in both the US and Europe. Despite this demand, Ireland has the highest share of STEM graduates per capita in the EU, suggesting that skills alignment—rather than availability—may be a key challenge for the market.

Source: The Star (Bloomberg wire)