Cybersecurity and efficiency prioritised by Irish IT Leaders amid budget pressures and rising threats - EY Tech Leaders Outlook

• Cybersecurity remains top investment priority for tech leaders, with 48% citing it as the most critical area for improvement due to rising threats
• IT leaders turning focus towards improved efficiency and reduced costs (47%)  as only 34% of tech leaders expect budget increases, down from 46% in 2023
• Hiring momentum stalls as 76% of tech leaders plan to freeze or reduce IT headcount amid budget pressures. 
• 41% of organisations now run all core systems in the cloud, a marked increase from 15% in 2023.
• 10% now say AI is fundamental to their business, up from 2% in 2024

Dublin, 03 June 2025: Irish technology leaders are doubling down on cybersecurity as they navigate a landscape shaped by increasing budget constraints, geopolitical tensions, continued technological change.  The findings show a desire from leadership to make efficiency a central focus, prioritising cost control and operational streamlining within their organisations. That’s according to the EY Ireland Tech Leaders Outlook 2025, which surveyed 150 senior technology leaders across a range of sectors based in Ireland.

Cybersecurity has emerged as the top investment priority for the year ahead, with nearly half (48%) of respondents identifying it as the area most in need of improvement. This reflects growing concern over increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, including those linked to global instability and AI-driven attacks. Given how integrated global networks, where data, access, and trust flow across multiple partners are, reassurance may be taken that cyber is not falling as a priority.

AI adoption continues to accelerate, with one in ten leaders now saying AI is fundamental to their business, jumping from just one in 50 (2%) in 2024. Meanwhile, the number of organisations without an AI strategy has fallen to 56%, down from 62% last year.

Sustainability management and reporting tools remain the top emerging technology expected to deliver value over the next two years, cited by 33% of respondents. The findings suggest that while sustainability may no longer be the primary driver of transformation, it remains a key area of investment.

Financial constraints are reshaping priorities with just 34% of tech leaders now expecting an increase in IT budgets over the next two years, down from 46% in 2023. After years of strong demand for IT professionals, a hiring-squeeze may be on the horizon with over three-quarters (76%) either planning to maintain current staffing levels or potentially reduce their workforce over the next two years.

Ronan Walsh, Head of Technology Consulting at EY Ireland, said: “Technology leaders in Ireland are showing remarkable resilience in the face of on-going economic and geopolitical uncertainty. While budget constraints are clearly influencing decision making, our research shows that organisations are prioritising investments that deliver real value, particularly in cybersecurity, efficiency gains, cloud infrastructure and AI. The shift in AI adoption is especially striking and we’re seeing a growing number of organisations move beyond experimentation and begin to embed AI into core business functions to great effect.”

“This research shows a strong sense of optimism amongst Irish technology leaders who are making really smart, strategic decisions to ensure that their organisations remain competitive in a world that is changing at breath taking pace. The continued focus on sustainability tools also signals a maturing approach, one that integrates long-term value creation with operational efficiency and risk management.”

This research also shows that AI is transitioning from experimentation to practical use, with customer service (identified by 38%of respondents), reporting and query support (28%), and sales data analysis (28%) now seen as the most valuable applications. This marks a shift from last year, when creative use cases such as content generation and design support ranked higher and reflects a growing understanding of where AI can deliver tangible business value.

Cloud infrastructure continues to gain momentum among Irish technology leaders, with 41% of organisations now hosting all core systems in the cloud, nearly triple the figure from 2023. This surge reflects growing trust in cloud technology’s ability to deliver enhanced security, scalability, and cost-efficiency. As budget pressures mount, tech leaders are increasingly viewing cloud as a strategic enabler and essential to long-term digital transformation. 

To read the full report, please visit: www.ey.com/ie/TechSurvey

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About the Survey

Research for the EY Ireland Tech Leaders Outlook Survey 2025 was carried out on behalf of EY by Empathy Research during March – April 2025. 150 people working in senior technology roles across a broad spectrum of organisations responded to the survey. The sectors covered for the survey were broadly consumer products, retail and agriculture; health advanced manufacturing; technology; government and public sector; infrastructure and real estate; power and utilities; telecommunications; media and entertainment; and life sciences.

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Powered by data, technology and an extensive partner ecosystem, our diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.