An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Sharon Keogan (IND), Industrial and Commercial Panel

I rise to address the recent International Monetary Fund, IMF, report warning of the impact that artificial intelligence, AI, could have an on employment in this country. I must say that it represents a stark warning to the Government. The IMF has stated that AI could affect more than 40% of the jobs in Ireland and that Ireland is more exposed than most advanced economies to these risks. That should set alarm bells ringing, yet what do we see at the same time? We see major layoffs already happening. Meta is cutting 20% of its Irish workforce, which equates to some 350 jobs, while Oracle is reportedly planning to cut approximately 150 jobs. Government sources are now briefing that further job losses are expected in the months ahead.
At the same time, we continue to rely heavily on multinational tech companies as the backbone of our economy. The IMF has warned clearly that this reliance is itself a vulnerability. Where is the plan to address that? Where is the strategy to diversify employment and protect workers?
There is a contradiction at the heart of our labour market. Youth unemployment still stands at approximately 6%, yet employers say they cannot find workers. This is not a functioning system. It is a failure of policy. We must also be honest about youth emigration. When young people are forced to leave the country to find work, that, too, is unemployment, just exported beyond our borders.
The IMF made it clear that without serious investment in reskilling and upskilling, workers would be left behind, yet we hear vague assurances from the Government that it will have people's backs.
That is not a plan. Unless the Government takes seriously co-ordinated action to align skills with future jobs to reduce our over-reliance on multinationals and to ensure that people can live and work here, we are heading into a period of disruption for which this country is simply not prepared. A meeting with or a briefing from the Minister of State with responsibility for AI, Deputy Smyth, to discuss that would be very welcome.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10