Ireland's downsizing tech sector will rebound, says Taoiseach
![Ireland's downsizing tech sector will rebound, says Taoiseach Ireland's downsizing tech sector will rebound, says Taoiseach](/cms_media/module_img/7382/3691483_7_articlesmall_LC_apple_01_281_29.jpg)
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (centre) was joined on a visit to Apple by Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney (right) and TD Colm Burke (left) where they met with Apple's Vice President of European Operations Cathy Kearney. Picture: Larry Cummins
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the current retrenchment in Ireland’s tech sector will continue but that the sector will grow again in the medium to long term given the demand for future digital technologies.
On a visit to Cork on Thursday where he visited the Apple campus in Hollyhill and saw the ongoing construction works for the site’s expansion, Mr Varadkar was asked about the 890 job cuts announced by Accenture this week.
“What we are seeing in tech is a sector that grew very rapidly during the pandemic,” he said. “It is now retrenching, downsizing by about 10% to 15% and that is still ongoing.”
“What I am convinced of, is that we are going to see a lot more tech jobs. Why do I think that? Because the future is digital, the future is artificial intelligence, the future is virtual reality, the future is robotics. There is only going to be more of that.”
![Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (right) meeting Cathy Kearney, Apple's vice president of European Operations at the Apple campus in Hollyhill, Cork, where construction work is underway on a significant expansion to the campus. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (right) meeting Cathy Kearney, Apple's vice president of European Operations at the Apple campus in Hollyhill, Cork, where construction work is underway on a significant expansion to the campus. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/7382/3691339_16_articleinline_L8A1489.jpg)
The redundancies announced by Accenture and a further 50 roles cut by Salesforce from its Irish operations follow a series of lay-offs announced by a range of tech companies in Ireland and globally. Facebook and Instagram owner Meta has cut 900 jobs from its Irish operations since November with Google, Microsoft and Twitter also cutting jobs.
![Construction work on the Apple Campus at Hollyhill Industrial Estate in Cork,. Picture: Larry Cummins Construction work on the Apple Campus at Hollyhill Industrial Estate in Cork,. Picture: Larry Cummins](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/7382/3691354_13_articleinline_LC_20apple_2011.jpg)
Mr Varadkar said the expansion by Apple, which already employs more than 6,000 people here, shows the strong future the sector has here.
“Apple is one of the biggest employers in the country and one of the biggest taxpayers and is making a big investment here in Hollyhill. The new building that will open in about two years’ time will be able to accommodate 1,300 staff and it does show the company is very committed to Cork and Ireland.”
Mr Varadkar was joined on the visit to Apple by Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney and TD Colm Burke where they met with Apple's Vice President of European Operations Cathy Kearney.
![Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during his visit to Apple's Hollyhill campus in Cork. “What I am convinced of, is that we are going to see a lot more tech jobs." Picture: Larry Cummins Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during his visit to Apple's Hollyhill campus in Cork. “What I am convinced of, is that we are going to see a lot more tech jobs." Picture: Larry Cummins](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/7382/3691345_15_articleinline_LC_20apple_2003_1_.jpg)
"We’re proud to be part of the thriving community in Cork and our teams here are continuing to innovate in service of our customers," she said.
"Over the past five years, Apple has invested over €250m, expanding our Hollyhill campus for our growing team. We’re pleased to welcome the Taoiseach to our new state-of-the-art engineering and test facility and to highlight our plans for continued expansion."
Last year, Apple opened a test facility at the former Banta site in Hollyhill, only the third such site in the world operated by the company. It followed the establishment in 2019 of a team in Hollyhill that focuses on artificial intelligence and machine learning (AIML).
The Taoiseach said a discussion on the Apple tax case currently being assessed by the European appeal courts was not on the agenda for the visit but he said the Government was confident they would win the case.
In 2016, the EU Commission alleged Ireland had given Apple favourable tax terms and ordered the State to recover more than €14bn in taxes and interest from the US tech giant.
![Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) and Cathy Kearney, Apple's vice president of European Operations. "We’re proud to be part of the thriving community in Cork and our teams here are continuing to innovate in service of our customers," she said. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) and Cathy Kearney, Apple's vice president of European Operations. "We’re proud to be part of the thriving community in Cork and our teams here are continuing to innovate in service of our customers," she said. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/7382/3691342_16_articleinline_L8A2772.jpg)
It has led to a long-running legal battle that is not expected to be resolved until next year. Apple and the Irish Government had appealed the Commissions's 2016 decision and a court overturned the ruling dealing a blow to EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager’s crackdown on preferential deals.
Her office launched an appeal to the European Court of Justice and Mr Varadkar said they expect a decision in a matter of months.
![Construction work on the Apple Campus, Hollyhill Industrial Estate, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins Construction work on the Apple Campus, Hollyhill Industrial Estate, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/7382/3691357_11_articleinline_LC_apple_05.jpg)
"Both Apple and the Government are on the same side here. We think the European Commission has made an error. We have won the first part of the case and expect to win the appeal too.
"This is about an allegation that 20 years ago there was a special arrangement between the Irish Government and one particular company that was not available to other companies. That's not true, that didn't happen and facts are on our side," he said.
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