Morgan McKinley Ireland Employment Monitor: Q4 2025

2 Mins Read 20-01-2026

Submitted by Sayoojya on Tue, 01/20/2026 - 07:27

Ireland’s Professional Market Shifts to "Quality Over Quantity"
Growth for AI and Financial Compliance Specialists

The Overall Outlook

20th January 2026: The Irish professional job market closed 2025 in a state of disciplined maturity, characterised by a seasonal 11.9% dip in vacancies compared to Q3. Yet it remained remarkably stable with only a 1.9% year-on-year decrease. While the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 5%, candidate engagement rose by 4.3% as professionals prepared for 2026 budgets.

Ireland Employment Monitor: Key Findings for Q4 2025

1. The Impact of AI Adoption

A major theme across all sectors, but particularly within Technology and Accounting & Finance, is the impact of AI adoption within businesses. This is moderating the demand for junior and generalist roles while intensifying the hunt for experienced AI specialists.

2. The Focus on Revenue-Generating Roles

Employers are increasingly selective, moving away from volume-based hiring toward focusing on more "revenue-generating" and critical roles. This development was supported by a record-breaking year for IDA Ireland, which secured 323 investments and supported over 15,300 new jobs.

3. Talent Shortages and Growing Roles

Sector-specific trends highlight a "two-speed" economy: Construction remains under heavy pressure due to chronic talent shortages (specifically for Quantity Surveyors and Civil Engineers). Meanwhile Life Sciences has leaned heavily into a 50/50 split between permanent and contract staff to maintain agility.

In Financial Services, regulatory pressures and auto-enrolment regulatory changes have spurred increased demand for compliance and wealth management experts for businesses.

4. The Impact of the Working Model Divide

Across the board, a "tug-of-war" persists regarding working models. While Dublin-based multinationals are increasingly mandating 3–4 days in-office, regional and mid-sized firms are successfully using flexible and hybrid models as a primary differentiator to attract top talent.

This environment has resulted in stable salary levels. Consequently, upward pressure on salaries was reserved almost exclusively for niche technical skills or high-impact leadership roles.

Want to learn more about the changes that will impact your business or sector? Find a more detailed analysis in the report below.