Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 June 2026
68. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the potential impact of artificial intelligence and automation on employment across the State; the sectors identified as most at risk of job displacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44276/26]
View answerMy Department continually monitors labour market developments, including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), which is already evident and expected to intensify over time. Through the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), the Department has undertaken significant research in this area, including the paper How AI is Transforming the Irish Labour Market, published last year. This work highlighted the pace of AI adoption in Ireland, noting strong demand for AI roles alongside a robust supply of AI talent. It also found that AI-related jobs and usage have approximately doubled since 2023. While the analysis compared Ireland with other economies using national-level data, it did not provide forecasts or estimates of net employment impacts. This work is being updated during the year, and further analysis will be completed.
In addition, the EGFSN has commissioned a major study examining the demand for and supply of high-level ICT and digital specialists to 2030, including those working in AI and cybersecurity. This study, which is at an advanced stage and due for publication shortly, combines quantitative modelling and qualitative research. It includes forecasts under multiple scenarios, assessment of potential skills gaps, labour market analysis using sources such as CSO data, and international benchmarking. It will also assess the regional distribution of employment and the supply pipeline for digital specialists.
The study examines the impact of emerging technologies, including AI and automation, on specialist roles, focusing on how tasks, skills and competencies are changing and the implications for upskilling and reskilling. It includes specific analysis of AI skills needs, including generative AI, and considers how digital transformation is shaping demand within high-level ICT roles. It will identify future skills requirements and provide an indication of the scale and type of upskilling and reskilling needed, while assessing supply channels such as higher and further education, professional development and inward migration. The study is ongoing.
The analysis focuses on high-level ICT and digital occupations across the economy, with particular attention to AI and cybersecurity roles. It includes examination of regional demand patterns and is informed by stakeholder engagement, including workshops and a survey of digital specialists, to identify emerging trends, risks, skills needs and gaps. The scope is limited to specialist roles at NFQ Levels 6 to 10 and does not extend to the wider labour market or to non-specialist digital skills, which will be addressed in later work.
More broadly, the EGFSN is also supporting related research, including a forthcoming report on skills for digital specialists to 2030 and a new all-island “Working in Ireland” survey led by UCD, which will include analysis of AI and the labour market.
Other published work, including analysis by the Department of Finance earlier this year, indicates that Ireland’s labour market is likely to experience changes from AI due to its sectoral composition, particularly in ICT, financial and professional services, and suggests that employment growth in more AI-exposed sectors has recently moderated. The Government’s National Digital and AI Strategy, published in February, sets out a roadmap to strengthen Ireland’s digital capabilities, including accelerating enterprise adoption of AI to support productivity and competitiveness.
Given the pace of technological change, continued workforce adaptation will be required, including the development of new skills and roles. Government commitments in this area include expanding access to flexible upskilling and reskilling opportunities, implementing a national digital and AI skilling campaign, developing a Technology Skills of the Future Roadmap, and establishing a National Skills Observatory to support policy development in relation to AI and employment.
