Meta Plans 8,000 Global Job Cuts; Irish Workforce Impact Unknown

Meta has not yet notified Ireland's Department of Enterprise about layoffs within its Irish workforce, despite announcing plans to cut 8,000 jobs globally. A memo sent to staff yesterday detailed a 10% reduction in Meta’s global workforce.

Further job cuts are anticipated in Ireland, where Meta employs approximately 1,800 people, but specific figures and formal notice are pending. Meta has already eliminated over 800 roles in Ireland in recent years. Agency companies, like Covalen, that supply staff for Meta projects, primarily in content moderation, have also announced layoffs.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, speaking from Cyprus, expressed overall concern about AI's impact on jobs. He noted the government is examining proposals to identify AI's implications over the coming years, anticipating significant job market upheaval potentially sooner than expected. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously stated AI would dramatically change company operations by 2026, enabling projects previously requiring large teams to be handled by a single person.

John Bohan, organiser for the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), which represents Meta's Irish employees and contracted firms, stated the union is «alarmed» by the announcement. The CWU is organizing across Meta’s digital supply chain in Ireland to support staff seeking job security and AI safeguards.