Associate Professor Jennifer Keenahan
from UCD Civil Engineering
Across Ireland, many of us working to support women in STEM are sensing a change in mood.
Organisations that once spoke confidently about diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) are becoming more cautious, and in some cases, quietly stepping back from earlier commitments. That retreat may feel pragmatic in the short term, but it’s strategically short-sighted.
Shifts in DE&I commitments among Irish organisations
Research cited by Hays Ireland reports that 40% of organisations operating in Ireland have eliminated or plan to eliminate their DE&I targets since November 2024. That figure rises to 49% for Irish firms with US operations, indicating that political signals from the US are already shaping decisions here.
Hays also reports that 40% of large enterprises in Ireland have already seen workers quit due to DE&I policy changes, underscoring that pullback carries real costs for morale and retention.
The wider picture for women in technology is equally concerning. ESRI research reported by RTÉ found that Ireland has Europe’s largest gender gap in the use of advanced digital skills at work, with 44% of men using these skills compared with just 18% of women, and concluded that women are underrepresented in the most digitally intensive roles.
McKinsey’s latest European analysis similarly found that women’s share of core tech roles has fallen from 22% to 19%, while representation drops sharply at the management and senior management level.
RTÉ found that Ireland has Europe’s largest gender gap in the use of advanced digital skills at work
Why Ireland must recommit to DE&I
Seminal research by Spencer, Steele and Quinn showed how stereotype threat can depress women’s performance in high-stakes mathematical settings. Later work by Dasgupta and colleagues demonstrated that female peers in engineering groups improve women’s participation, motivation and career aspirations.
At the same time, Miller’s influential 30-year analysis argued that the problem isn’t a single simplistic “leaky pipeline,” but the broader structures that shape progression and belonging across careers.
If Ireland is serious about competitiveness, innovation and talent, now isn’t the time to retreat. It’s the time to recommit to visible role models, fair progression, flexible workplaces, sponsorship and sustained investment in the conditions that allow women not only to enter STEM, but to stay and lead.
