Global restructuring at Meta could see 15 jobs go in Ireland 

Meta is set to cut a number of jobs in Ireland as part of a restructuring affecting hundreds of employees globally. 

Meta is set to cut a number of jobs in Ireland as part of a restructuring affecting hundreds of employees globally. 

It's believed around 15 roles in Ireland could be impacted by Wednesday's decision. Meta employs over 1,700 people in Ireland and 79,000 worldwide.

Meta has already trimmed its ranks globally this year. Reality Labs, the internal division developing futuristic hardware like AI glasses and virtual reality headsets, cut more than 1,000 people in January as the company pushed more resources toward artificial intelligence wearables and away from some of its virtual-world products, known as the metaverse. However, it is believed no roles in Reality Labs Cork are affected by Wednesday's decision. 

Meta would not comment on how many people in Ireland are affected by the announcement. “Teams across Meta regularly restructure or implement changes to ensure they’re in the best position to achieve their goals. Where possible, we are finding other opportunities for employees whose positions may be impacted,” a Meta spokesperson said.

According to their company filings, Meta’s employee numbers in Ireland rose from 1,944 in 2019 to a peak of 2,662 in 2022. Internationally, the company laid off 11,000 staff in November 2022, before cutting another 10,000 jobs four months later. Meta’s headcount of workers in Ireland fell from 2,171 in 2023 to 1,738 in 2024.

Meta has been one of tech industry’s most aggressive spenders when it comes to AI. The company projected record capital expenditures this year — as much as $135bn (€116bn) — and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said that Meta will spend $600bn on US infrastructure projects by 2028. Mr Zuckerberg previously discussed how AI will disrupt the company’s work flows, and engineers at the company are already using AI agents to help with coding and other projects.

Additional reporting by Bloomberg