Ibec says demand for tech talent in Ireland is still high despite recent redundancies

There is still high demand for tech talent in this country despite the “deeply upsetting” redundancies announced in the sector in recent weeks, politicians will be told today.

epresentatives from the main employer group Ibec will appear before a Dáil committee to say that Ireland remains a “technology powerhouse” at the heart of the industry in Europe but that we cannot afford to be complacent.

Ibec’s submission will contend there is particular demand for staff from Irish-owned tech companies who have found it challenging to hire “at pace” in the last two years.

Una Fitzpatrick, director of Ibec’s Technology Ireland, will tell the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment that a global slowdown in the sector was forecast.

“While the news regarding redundancies in a small number of companies is disappointing and deeply upsetting for the individuals impacted, there remains a high demand for tech talent in this country, in particular in our indigenous tech companies who found it challenging to hire at pace over the last two years,” the submission will say.

Ms Fitzpatrick will say the sector employs more than 270,000 people and has grown by 30pc in the last two years.

Official figures show its employees have the highest average earnings in the country, receiving €8.5bn in wages in 2019.

Around 63pc of the workforce has a third-level qualification or higher.

Ms Fitzpatrick will say that a successful tech sector needs access to a “constant and frictionless supply of talent”.

“A crucial ingredient in Ireland’s success story has been the talent available to both our indigenous and multinational companies,” the submission states.

“That talent has traditionally been supplied through two streams – the output from our third-level colleges and the flexibility and attractiveness of Ireland in accommodating overseas talent.”

Ms Fitzpatrick will say these streams are now under strain and that a strong response is needed to maintain a sustainable pipeline of talent.

The submission says global inflationary pressures have affected the sector. It says the best protecting mechanism to ensure Ireland remains, and grows, its reputation as a technology hub is to have a well-resourced regulatory structure.