Paul Donnelly
Ceist:19. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the plans that have been put in place to protect those who lose their job through the advancement of AI. [12297/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 19 February 2026
Ceisteanna (19)
Freagraí scríofa
Artificial Intelligence is a transformative technology with major potential for Ireland’s economy and society. Harnessing its benefits is essential to future-proof industries and maintain global competitiveness.
Equally, AI is a disruptive technology, and I am acutely aware of the concerns regarding the impact of AI on the labour market. While AI will undoubtedly create new opportunities, it also carries the risk of job displacement.
Recent research from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, reports that AI adoption in Ireland is accelerating, with demand for AI roles and usage doubling since 2023, highlighting strong labour-market dynamism.
Across several metrics, Ireland is close to the top of global rankings in relation to AI with a very strong demand for persons with AI skills but also a robust pipeline of quality jobs in this field. The initial indications are that there could be considerable upside potential for Irish economic growth going forward given the speed and pace of AI adoption.
Some of the key findings from the report include:
• Ireland leads in terms of the demand for AI jobs
• AI jobs and usage in Ireland have more than doubled since 2023
• Ireland’s ranks 3rd in the EU in terms of digital skills
The research states that Ireland’s enterprise sector and workforce are adapting rapidly to AI, with strong demand for AI skills matched by solid supply. While the report finds that AI is likely to augment many existing roles, it also notes that the overall impact on employment levels is less clear-cut, and continued monitoring is essential.
What is clear is that it will be important to keep a close eye on AI developments across the labour market, and the development of new capabilities and capacities in the workforce will be necessary as it is very likely that new types of jobs will emerge.
The Government will shortly publish an updated National Digital and AI Strategy, setting out a clear roadmap for Ireland’s digital and AI adoption. It will include a priority to support workers in managing the impacts of potential job displacement by ensuring access to agile, high-quality upskilling and reskilling opportunities.
A key proposal within the Strategy is the establishment of a National Skills Observatory by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. It is envisaged that this will transform our skills intelligence landscape and provide a more joined up approach to data gathering and use.
The Observatory will act as a central repository for labour market and skills information in Ireland, facilitating improved workforce planning, stronger policy and decision-making, and improved lifelong learning and workforce reskilling, among other benefits, supporting the development of effective national AI and jobs policy in the years ahead.
It is important to note that the Department of Social Protection's Intreo service provides a number of pay-related and re-skilling supports for those affected by job loss.
The Government's strategic focus on our education system and digital literacy, ranging from primary school through to PhD level, in tandem with investment in infrastructure, enterprise supports, attracting world class talent and fostering the adoption of AI in SMEs and are all key to enhancing our global competitiveness and accelerating job creation and we have seen a number of AI driven job generation announcements across the country in recent months.