IoD releases Snap Poll 2025 results as business leaders look to Irish EU Presidency
The Institute of Directors (IoD) Ireland has published the results of its end-of-year Snap Poll 2025, offering insight into the views of Irish business leaders on the upcoming Irish EU Presidency, sentiment heading into 2026 and the key challenges expected in the year ahead.
The survey, which gathered responses from 363 directors and senior business leaders, shows that regulatory reform is the top priority respondents want the Government to focus on during Ireland’s forthcoming EU Presidency.
One-third (33%) of those surveyed said simplifying regulation should be the main priority, followed by global competitiveness and trade tariffs, selected by 21%.
Business sentiment for 2026 appears broadly positive.
When asked about confidence in their organisation’s financial performance in the year ahead, 43% of respondents said they were more optimistic, while 38% expected no change.
A further 19% said they were more pessimistic.
Recruitment expectations remain resilient, with 89% of business leaders indicating they expect to either increase or maintain staff numbers in 2026. #
However, views were mixed on the impact of artificial intelligence on employment.
While 19% believe greater AI use will lead to staff reductions, 33% said it would not, and 44% said it was too early to tell.
Digital innovation and AI continue to feature strongly in boardroom decision-making. Two-thirds (66%) of respondents said their board is confident making strategic decisions involving AI or generative AI.
However, the use of AI-powered tools at board level remains limited, with 26% saying their boards currently use such tools to support meetings.
Of those that do, 36% are confident that appropriate guardrails, including policies and cybersecurity measures, are in place.
Commenting on the findings, IoD Ireland CEO Caroline Spillane CDir. said: "Our end-of-year Snap Poll 2025 underscores the dynamic and multi-faceted challenges and opportunities facing Irish businesses.
“As we approach 2026, which includes Ireland’s Presidency of the EU, our members are generally optimistic about the year ahead, but they want our Government to prioritise simplification of regulations and global competitiveness.”
She added: “Our members have told us that their top three greatest drivers for business growth and competitiveness in 2026 will be digital transformation and innovation (17%), enhancement of products or services (16%), and investment in the development of infrastructure (13%).
“We know from the recent ‘Accelerating Infrastructure – Report and Action Plan’ that this investment is also a focus for the Government going forward.
“As part of this research, our members cited that the single biggest risk to their organisation in 2026 is geopolitical uncertainty followed by economic pressures and cyber security breaches”, she concluded.
The survey also examined attitudes to proposed EU simplification of digital rules.
Caroline Spillane, CEO, Institute of Directors © Patrick Bolger
While 24% agreed the changes would reduce compliance and administrative burdens, 66% neither agreed nor disagreed.
More than half of respondents (56%) said they did not know whether the proposals would improve competitiveness.
The Snap Poll was conducted between 27 November and 2 December 2025 among IoD Ireland members across a broad range of sectors, including SMEs, multinationals, State bodies and not-for-profit organisations.
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