Further and Higher Education
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-12
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James Lawless (FF), Kildare North

The Deputy is exactly right. One of the interesting outputs of the inaugural skills round-table I held about six weeks, which had the accommodation sectors at it, was that there was a common theme. Regardless of semiconductors, biosciences, pharmaceuticals or construction, there was a common theme. They said they want to be able to hire graduates, trainees and skilled workers who have broader skills, such as communication skills, teamwork skills and the ability to work on a team, analytical skills and strategic skills and the ability to make judgment calls on a particular set of facts. That is one thing the computer will never be able to replace - that human intuition and experience and that unique set of circumstances that has brought us all to where we are.
As I noted recently, there is a concern that some firms may be beginning to put a brake on graduate recruitment and might be thinking that AI can replace certain junior jobs. However, there is recognition that we need the senior people and experienced people in every organisation. If people stop hiring at the entry level, they never get to the experienced layer beyond that. It is something employers really need to take stock of.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-12/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-12