LAST UPDATE | 24 May 2023

FACEBOOK’S PARENT COMPANY Meta is expected to lay off close to 500 staff in Ireland as a result of global job cuts that were announced in March.

Ten weeks ago, the social media giant said it would cut around 10,000 staff globally.

In a Facebook post at the time, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that this would be their “Year of Efficiency”.

The first round of these job losses took effect in April, when around 4,000 people were laid off from the company’s tech organisations.

Only around 10 staff in Ireland were impacted by this move.

However, details were announced to staff today of the remaining 6,000 global redundancies.

These job cuts are mainly arising in Meta’s business organisations, which make up the majority of jobs in its Ireland operations.

Meta has informed the Irish government that it expects around 490 roles will be made redundant across a number of teams including finance, sales, marketing, analytics, operations, and engineering.

The final number of redundancies will be subject to the collective consultation process.

Around 2,500 people are directly employed by Meta in Ireland and Dublin is home to its European headquarters.

Today’s announcement relates to full-time Meta employees in Ireland and doesn’t impact contract workers.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil today that the job losses in Ireland are “significant”.

Speaking to The Journal in Trim today, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said her department stands ready to assist the workers in any way that might be needed. 

“I’m thinking of the people who have lost their jobs, that’s a big shock to get when you’re told you don’t have a job anymore, and many things flash in front of your mind when you hear that, like how you’re going to pay your bills.

“Can I just say that my department stands ready to assist. We will set up if needed, dedicated support lines, dedicated contact people, to give them all the support we possibly can,” she said. 

Labour leader Ivana Bacik also raised the matter in the Dáil and called for tech workers to unionise.

Deeply concerned to see reports now that 500 #Meta #Facebook staff are to be laid off in Ireland. Thinking of all those affected & their families at this time. Rights of workers in collective redundancies must be strengthened @fsuireland @marie_sherlock https://t.co/7WUhFj1eX4

— Ivana Bacik (@ivanabacik) May 24, 2023

“This year we’ve heard many announcements of tech redundancies with a repeated pattern in tech companies of employees being hired en masse and then fired in large numbers for the sake of so called ‘efficiency’,” Bacik said.

“In these difficult times we in Labour believe the government must act to rebalance the power between workers and corporations.

“Workers need not just a right to collectively bargain but also a right to organise in their workplaces. Through trade unions we’ve seen many of the workers’ rights implemented that we enjoy today.”

Social Democrats spokesperson for enterprise Catherine Murphy said that her thoughts were with the 490 employees and their families.

“This news will be a bitter blow to Meta’s workers in Ireland, coming as it does in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and housing emergency.

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“Those who have lost their jobs must receive adequate redundancy packages from Meta and be fully supported in securing alternative employment.”

News of almost 500 job losses will come as a bitter blow to Meta’s workers in Ireland.

"The figure is higher than was expected," says @CathMurphyTD

"Those affected must receive adequate redundancy packages and be supported in finding new employment."https://t.co/ELx7A8vyWu

— Social Democrats (@SocDems) May 24, 2023

Meta has said that today’s announcement will not impact on its commitment to Ireland, which will continue to be the International HQ.

Last November, the company laid off 11,000 employees globally, which resulted in over 300 job cuts in Ireland.

In his March post, Zuckerburg wrote: “This will be tough and there’s no way around that.”

“It will mean saying goodbye to talented and passionate colleagues who have been part of our success. We will support people in the same ways we have before and treat everyone with the gratitude they deserve.”

Zuckerberg added that he was surprised with how many things “have gone faster” since laying off 11,000 people in November of last year.

Under the heading of ‘Leaner is Better’, he wrote: “A leaner org will execute its highest priorities faster.

“People will be more productive, and their work will be more fun and fulfilling.

“That’s why in our Year of Efficiency, we are focused on cancelling projects that are duplicative or lower priority and making every organization as lean as possible.”

With additional reporting by Jamie McCarron