699. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will assess the extent to which outsourcing, automation, and AI driven restructuring are contributing to job losses in the tech sector; the measures he intends to introduce to protect workers in Ireland from sudden or large-scale displacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42703/26]

Government recognises that technological advancements such as AI will inevitably bring labour market changes, as reflected in recent analysis published by the Department of Finance and the ESRI.

It is important to note, however, that Ireland remains at near-record employment, with job growth across almost all sectors, from construction to financial services and manufacturing to transport, education and healthcare.

Government policy to support workers to navigate and mitigate the impacts of potential job displacement is set out in our National Digital & AI Strategy, Digital Ireland –Connecting our People, Securing our Future. Central to Digital Ireland is a commitment to support workers in this transition by ensuring access to agile, fit-for-purpose and high-quality upskilling and reskilling opportunities.

My colleague James Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is leading on a number of initiatives. Minister Lawless recently held the first National Skills Roundtable, marking the beginning of a national programme of high-level engagements focused on ensuring Ireland has the right skills for a rapidly changing economy. This will include a series of sector-specific meetings with employers and industry representative bodies to gain deeper insight into priority skills needs.

A new online platform for AI skills has also been launched. AIready.ie will support early inclusive skills development, an approach strongly reinforced by ESRI and Central Bank research on AI, skills and labour market disruption. Further actions include:

• Roadmap for Technology Skills of the Future to ensure the skills ecosystem remains future-focused.

• A nationwide Digital and AI skilling campaign to highlight opportunities.

• A National Skills Observatory to provide data and insights on labour market trends and skills needs.

My Department is continually monitoring the impact of AI on the labour market by funding and co-funding forward-looking research. Through the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, we published research in October 2025 which found that Ireland’s enterprise sector and workforce are adapting rapidly to AI. The demand for AI roles and usage doubled since 2023, highlighting strong labour-market dynamism.

The EGFSN is also funding a project on ‘Skills for Digital Specialists 2030’. This report will be published this year and will identify skills needs and gaps for ICT/digital specialists, including AI. The EGFSN is additionally co-funding a new ‘Working in Ireland Survey’ on the Irish labour market, led by UCD. Research from this extensive, all-island study will be available in 2026 and will include work on AI and the labour market.

These insights, along with future research, will support the development of our policy response to this rapidly evolving area.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection assists all workers who face job losses with financial supports to avoid a ‘cliff edge’ in terms of income, and employment services ensuring a smooth re-entry to work.