As wage pressure eases and hiring slows, is it an employer's market?

Data from Morgan McKinley suggests that job applicants may have tough times ahead, in a landscape that is swaying slightly in favour of the employer.

Irish professionals services company Morgan Mckinley has today (14 July) published the latest Morgan McKinley Ireland Employment Monitor, which explores Ireland’s professional jobs market.

The report found that the current employment landscape comes with some challenges for job applicants, particularly as wage pressures for employers ease and hiring continues to slow.

Job openings in Ireland fell by 7.2pc in Q2 of 2026 and were shown to be down almost 10pc year-on-year. While the number of jobseekers fell by 6.8pc quarter-on-quarter, the figure was still 18.4pc higher than the previous year.

According to Morgan McKinley, the data is indicative of a more disciplined, employer-led market, in which employers are still recruiting but permanent headcount may struggle as organisations prioritise cost, productivity and workforce planning.