Data science Ireland

There was a time when being “good with Excel” could open doors across Irish offices, from banks in Dublin to public sector teams across the counties.
Entering 2026, and those doors now swing open to a very different rhythm: code, cloud, and generative AI.

Data careers in Ireland are no longer a back-office curiosity, they’re the frontline of business change: fast, lucrative, and yes, a little bit thrilling.

1) The Ireland Data Jobs are growing fast!

Ireland Data job market continues to show remarkable resilience.
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), employment in the Information and Communication sector rose by 8.6% year-on-year in 2024, outpacing nearly every other professional field.

Demand for data scientists, data engineers, and analysts remains strong across fintech, enterprise software, and public services. This is not a passing wave, it’s strategic hiring backed by concrete investment.

Fintech and compliance tech firms are leading the charge.
Companies like Fenergo have committed major investments in Ireland, creating hundreds of new AI and data-focused roles as they expand their R&D and innovation hubs in Dublin.

That kind of scale signals long-term career pathways, not one-off contract spikes.

Data & AI Job Growth in Ireland (2023–2025)

Year	Job Postings Mentioning “Data”	Growth YoY (%)
2023	4,800	—
2024	5,950	+24%
2025	7,200 (projected)	+21%

2) Generative AI exploded into hiring feeds, and Ireland led Europe!

One of the most dramatic shifts of 2025: job adverts mentioning Generative AI (GenAI) skills surged across Europe, and Ireland recorded the largest proportional increase, a 112% rise year-on-year (Indeed Hiring Lab, 2025).

In Dublin alone, six out of ten AI-related roles now mention some form of large language model, prompt engineering, or AI safety skill.

Quick Insight 💡
Ireland’s AI hiring growth outpaced Germany, France, and Spain in 2025, proving that Irish employers aren’t just talking about AI; they’re hiring for it.

Ireland Leads Europe in GenAI Job Postings (2025)

Country	YoY Growth in GenAI Job Ads
Ireland	+112%
Germany	+76%
France	+69%
Spain	+54%
UK	+47%

3) Regulation is reshaping roles, and compliance & ethics matter now more than ever!

AI shift is becoming regulatory.
With the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (entered into force August 2024) now being phased in, Irish employers are rethinking what qualifies as “high-risk AI”  from HR systems to biometric tools.

This creates new hybrid opportunities for professionals who blend data skills with policy, compliance, and ethics, a skill set that will be highly prized as companies implement AI governance frameworks.

4) Recruiters are using AI so your profile needs to beat the bots!

Nearly eight in ten Irish employers now use some form of AI in recruitment, screening CVs, ranking candidates, or automating interview scheduling (Ibec Tech Trends, 2025).

This means your digital footprint matters more than ever. You must show:

• Hands-on projects (pipelines, dashboards, model explainability)
• Public GitHub or portfolio links
• Clear storytelling around how your work created business impact

Treat every application like a mini data product.

5) Pay and progression, real upside, real numbers

According to the 2025 Morgan McKinley Ireland Salary Guide:

• Entry-level Data Analysts: €38,000 – €55,000
• Data Scientists (mid-level): €65,000 – €90,000
• ML Engineers / AI Leads (senior): €100,000 – €120,000+

Ireland’s high-growth fintech and SaaS companies frequently exceed these bands with equity and bonus incentives.

The takeaway: the right combination of coding, cloud, and AI operations skills pays off, literally.

What Employers Actually Want (and What You Should Learn)

Irish hiring managers consistently shortlist candidates who can demonstrate three things:

• Practical code
• clear storytelling
• business imagination

Skill Area	Tools / Concepts	Importance
Core Technical	Python, SQL, pandas, scikit-learn, PyTorch/TensorFlow	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Engineering	Data pipelines, ETL, AWS/GCP/Azure, MLOps	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Product & Visualisation	Power BI, Looker, Tableau	⭐⭐⭐
GenAI & Prompt Engineering	LLM fine-tuning, RAG, safety evaluation	⭐⭐⭐
Regulatory Literacy	EU AI Act, model bias testing, explainability	⭐⭐⭐

Quick Insight

Skillnet Ireland reported a 42% rise in enrolments for data and AI upskilling programs in 2024, a clear signal that professionals across Ireland are racing to future-proof their careers.

Where the Opportunities Lie — Sectors to Watch

Sector	Hot Roles	Locations	Growth Indicators	Growth Rate (%)
Fintech & Compliance Tech	Model Risk, AML Analytics	Dublin	Fenergo and Stripe expanding data teams	27%
Enterprise SaaS & Cloud	Product Data, ML Ops	Dublin, Cork	Surge in cloud-native analytics hiring	37%
Public Sector & R&D	Data Analysts, Policy Modellers	Nationwide	R&D tax credit increased to 35% (2025), boosting innovation hiring	35%
Healthcare & Bioinformatics	Clinical Data Engineers, AI Modelling	Galway, Limerick	Increased HSE digital funding and EU research grants	25%

How Fortray Fits In Turning Skills into Employability?

Ireland’s tech ecosystem is expanding, however the skills translation remains a challenge.
That’s where Fortray’s Traineeship Programs bridge the gap between training and employment.

Each traineeship is built around real hiring data and industry needs, ensuring that what you learn directly maps to what Irish employers are hiring for.

Program	Ideal For	Training Pathway	Career Outcome
Data Analyst Traineeship	IT or business graduates	IT Fundamentals → Data Analytics → Visualization	Data Analyst / BI Analyst
Cybersecurity Engineer Traineeship	Non-IT or entry-level learners	IT Support → Networking → Cybersecurity	SOC Analyst / Cybersecurity Engineer
Cloud Computing Traineeship	Tech enthusiasts or software professionals	IT Support → Cloud Foundations → Cloud Administration	Cloud Support Engineer / DevOps Associate

Why This Matters?

Irish employers value practical exposure, and Fortray’s traineeships are structured with that in mind.
Through hands-on labs, live mentorship, and career support, candidates gain both confidence and credibility when applying for roles across Ireland’s growing digital economy.

8) A roadmap for career-changers — quick, applied, practical

1. Start with Python + SQL projects (3 solid portfolio projects in 3 months).
2. Add a cloud-deployed ETL pipeline and dashboard.
3. Build a small GenAI demo — retrieval-augmented or prompt-tuned.
4. Learn model governance and document explainability.
5. Network — demo days, Dublin tech meetups, Fortray recruitment services.

Quick Insight
LinkedIn’s “Jobs on the Rise 2025” lists Data Analyst and AI Engineer among Ireland’s top 10 fastest-growing roles.

9) Why now? And what Fortray brings to Ireland’s data market?

Ireland’s market is evolving for Data Scientists and Data Analysts.

Across Dublin’s fintech scene and Cork’s growing start-ups, companies are hiring professionals who can connect data to decisions.

That’s where Fortray’s Career Change Traineeships make a measurable difference.

Designed specifically for Ireland’s job market, our Data Analyst, Data Scientist, and AI & ML programs combine industry-backed training with career support and recruiter introductions that help you confidently transition into your first role.

What sets Fortray apart?

• Project-led training tailored to Irish employers
• 1:1 recruiter introductions via trusted Irish and UK hiring partners
• Modules on AI safety, model governance, and EU AI Act compliance
• Career placement support — guidance, interview prep, and networking
• Real industry projects that make your CV stand out
• Mentorship from data experts across top European firms

At Fortray, we partner with you to make your transition into data roles smooth, credible, and locally relevant.

If you’re ready to move from spreadsheets to shipped models and build a career Ireland’s data economy truly values, now’s the time to start.

Explore Fortray’s Traineeship Programs, learn, build, and connect with employers shaping Ireland’s AI future.

And before you start,  try our Ireland Salary Calculator to see how your skills translate into real earning potential.

In Summary

Ireland’s data and AI industry is growing faster than ever, and it’s opening doors for those who adapt.
Whether you’re switching careers or levelling up your technical edge, the path from Excel to AI has never been clearer, or more rewarding.

FAQs