The issue of mass redundancies in the tech sector is very live at the minute. One of the companies we are speaking about this morning is Covalen. The actions of this company have been far from savoury in terms of the treatment of the employees it is making redundant. It has rejected calls for better severance packages and declined a request to start the process of voluntary rather than compulsory lay-offs. The tech industry faces major structural issues mainly as a result of AI. We have seen it across the board. However, the actions of Covalen are particularly sinister in the treatment of its employees. It is making bonus payments available as a gesture of goodwill, but these bonuses had already been earned by the workers. Given the pace of change in the tech industry, what new or expanded reskilling programmes, particularly in the area of AI, cybersecurity and advanced digital skills, will be funded to help displaced workers transition quickly into high-demand roles? I know my colleagues will speak in particular about Covalen but the tech industry is under attack from AI. While AI may have many benefits, the Department needs to seriously look at redundancies in that industry.

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The treatment of the Covalen workers has been absolutely toxic. We have workers who have been involved in a company that has made millions as a result of their work, including moderating, as Deputy Boyd Barrett alluded to, yet this company is treating its workers with such disregard by offering two weeks statutory pay and saying they are getting bonuses as a goodwill gesture. They have already earned these bonuses, which were due to them anyway. The notion that we would allow a company to act in this manner, given the profits it makes, is absolutely disgraceful. As a Parliament, we have to do something about this.

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