Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
552. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department is planning for a scenario where youth unemployment increases in certain sectors as a result of the roll-out of artificial intelligence; if his Department has identified any high-risk sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73802/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish labour market has been performing well, despite substantial economic uncertainty. According to the most recent data made available by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate stands at 4.9 percent, as of November 2025, and has been between 4 and 5 percent, the rate conventionally considered full employment in Ireland, since January 2022, with one month’s exception, September 2025, when it reached 5.1 percent.
Recently, the youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) has risen. It stands at 13.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis, as of November 2025. Youth outcomes are substantially more volatile and tend to lag behind those of the general population.
The latest forecasts from the Central Bank show that employment is expected to continue to expand, growing by 1.9 percent in 2026, and unemployment is expected to moderate to 4.8 percent.
The Department of Finance and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment have published “Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe? An Analysis of How AI Could Impact Ireland’s Labour Market”. This research found that younger workers were slightly more exposed to AI compared to older workers, being both in “at risk” and “high gain” roles.
The Financial and Insurance; Information and Communication; and Professional, Scientific and Technical sectors were identified as more highly exposed with low complementarity to AI.
My Department is committed to continuing to monitor labour market trends and these insights will inform the successor strategy to Pathways to Work, which is currently being developed.
