Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 May 2023
56. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the interactions he and his Department have had with a company (details supplied) following the recent redundancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26458/23]
View answerOn 23 March 2023, the Accenture CEO announced that the company would be cutting 2.5% of its global workforce, or 19,000 people. In her communication, she stated that while Accenture continues to hire to support its strategic growth priorities during 2023, actions were needed to streamline operations and transform "non-billable" corporate functions in order to reduce costs.
My Department received a notification of proposed collective redundancies from Accenture on 23 March 2023. It is important to note that not all proposed redundancies result in actual redundancies, as employers negotiate with their workforce to restructure the business and may find alternative solutions during the 30-day consultation period. The latest information available to my Department is that the downsizing in Accenture in Ireland may be less than originally proposed.
Government’s first priority when such announcements are made are the workers impacted and we mobilise the agencies of the State to assist employees facing redundancy. In that regard, my officials have confirmed to me that IDA Ireland are engaging regularly with Irish and corporate Management in the company to keep fully abreast of developments. IDA has also been actively engaged with Accenture in Dublin and Cork, in recent times, regarding upskilling and the potential for further RD&I activity to be carried out in Ireland. Throughout IDA’s engagement with Accenture the company has reaffirmed its focus on strategic growth and innovation in Ireland.
