According to industry training body Technology Ireland Skillnet, demand for cybersecurity talent in Ireland exceeds supply and careers in the area are very financially rewarding.
A strong cybersecurity industry drives economic growth and contributes to national cyber resilience, says Áine Clarke, digital and AI policy executive with Ibec. “Ireland’s cybersecurity industry is a combination of Irish-owned small and medium enterprises (roughly three quarters of companies) and larger multinational enterprises (27 per cent).
“According to Cyber Ireland (the national cybersecurity industry cluster), the sector employs around 8,000 cybersecurity professionals across 535 firms and contributes an annual revenue of €2.7 billion to the Irish economy. ICT specialists made up just over 6 per cent of the Irish workforce in 2024 and the EU has set a target for member states to reach 10 per cent by 2030 as part of its Digital Decade roadmap.”
The demand for cybersecurity professionals has never been greater, but the industry faces a shortage of cybersecurity professionals and under-prioritisation of cybersecurity research, development and innovation (RDI) in Ireland.
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The European Commission’s 2024 Eurostat survey on cyberskills found that almost one in four (24 per cent) companies in Ireland are experiencing difficulties recruiting staff with cybersecurity skills, says Clarke.
“Ireland also competes with other jurisdictions for cybersecurity talent,” she adds. “The skills challenge also extends to diversity within the cybersecurity sector, with women accounting for only one in every four ICT specialists. The EU has a target of gender parity within the ICT sector by 2030. There will be a need for targeted measures to achieve that.”
Meeting the current and future skills needs of the cybersecurity industry calls for a strategic approach that mobilises and co-ordinates Ireland’s education and training system, Clarke contends. “Government has committed to delivering a Cyber Industrial Strategy in 2025, one strand of which will focus on addressing the sector’s current and future skills needs.
“The strategy should focus on responding to the existing skills needs of industry through upskilling and reskilling programmes, building a strong talent pipeline with multiple and varied opportunities to develop cyber skills, and supporting digital inclusion through lifelong learning and broad digital (including cybersecurity) literacy.”
In general, cybersecurity requires greater prioritisation in Ireland, but particularly when it comes to RDI, an area which has seen historic underinvestment, says Clarke. “A strong RDI landscape can be a catalyst for the growth of the cybersecurity sector, attracting investment, fostering cross-sector partnerships and encouraging the growth of the start-up community.
“Ireland lacks a dedicated brick-and-mortar cybersecurity facility to co-ordinate and centralise the various strands of our national cybersecurity ecosystem – industry, academia, research, development, innovation.”
Clarke says the current Programme for Government commits to establishing such a facility: an Irish centre of excellence in cybersecurity, around a cluster of third-level education facilities and industry. This should be delivered as a matter of priority, she believes.
Ireland’s cybersecurity sector has great potential to grow, says Clarke. “The combined strength of the indigenous cybersecurity industry and the global technology companies headquartered here – as well as the estimated 30 per cent of EU data they host, according to National Cyber Security Centre estimates, gives Ireland both additional responsibility in cybersecurity and a competitive advantage that should be leveraged.”
Evolving cybersecurity regulation in the EU also presents an opportunity for Ireland’s cybersecurity industry, with harmonised EU laws and standards opening up new markets. “Investing in the future of Ireland’s cybersecurity industry is both an economic and societal imperative and an opportunity to secure future inward investment and drive Ireland’s global competitiveness.”
Given the demand for cybersecurity professionals, a career in cybersecurity offers many benefits, including job security and attractive wage offerings, says Clarke. “It’s also an exciting and dynamic industry to work in, particularly in Ireland, given its role as a digital regulatory hub in the EU.”
For those wishing to pursue a career in this potentially highly lucrative sector, there are multiple pathways available. These include computer science and engineering degrees to conversion courses, professional certifications, and apprenticeships. Technology Ireland Skillnet, for example, offers dedicated upskilling programmes, while several Irish universities now offer specialised master’s degrees and diplomas in cybersecurity.
