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350 jobs at risk in Ireland as Meta plans layoffs
21 May 2026

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced plans to cut about 10% of its workforce.

The move could affect as many as 350 jobs in Ireland alone.

The tech giant employs some 1,800 people in the country and has issued a collective redundancy notification to the Department of Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment in Ireland.

Layoffs driven by increased AI spending
Financial strategy

In a memo sent last month, Meta revealed its plan to cut around 8,000 staff members. The company also plans to leave thousands of other open positions unfilled.

One of the main reasons for these layoffs is Meta's increased spending on other areas, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI).

This year alone, the company plans to spend $135 billion on AI, equaling its total AI expenditure over the last three years combined.

Meta's biggest round of layoffs since 2023
Workforce changes

The latest round of job cuts will be Meta's biggest since 2023.

The company had previously gone through multiple rounds of layoffs since 2022, resulting in tens of thousands of job losses.

However, it had also started hiring again, and by last year, its total headcount appeared to have returned to pre-layoff levels.

Other tech companies also cutting jobs
Fact

Along with Meta, several other tech companies are also cutting jobs this year. Most of these firms are making huge investments in developing tools and infrastructure for AI technology. The trend highlights the impact of the growing focus on AI on employment in tech industry.