Statement by Minister Aine Brady - Intel Jobs

Local TD and Minister of State, Aine Brady, has expressed regret at the recent announcement by Intel that it is going to seek 294 redundancies at its Leixlip Location, but also expressed her confidence that Intel will continue to have a strong presence in Ireland, and in particular in Leixlip, and is confident for the future of the plant.

'Our first thoughts are with the employees who will loose their jobs and I understand that Intel will engage and consult with the relevant staff over the coming weeks. Intel has a proven positive track record with dealing with their staff. I know that they will deal with the relevant staff in a professional manner and advise them of the best alternatives available to them.'

'Intel is strongly grounded in Leixlip. It has invested over €7bn since it set up in 1989. In recent times, they continue to invest in upgrading their facilities and opened FAB 24-2 which is one of the most technically advanced, high-volume semiconductors manufacturing sites in the world. Intel's Plant at Leixlip is still their largest facility outside the US.' stated Minister Brady.

'Last year Intel appointed NUI Maynooth as its Global Education Partner and work with the college is on-going, providing a valuable and a local strong link between both organisations. Earlier this year, Intel announced that it has chosen its Leixlip plant as one of the two new European Research and Development hubs, with the setting up of a new Intel corporation initiative called 'Intel Labs Europe'.

'These initiatives demonstrate that Leixlip is still attractive to Intel and I am confident that their future is secure in the area. The announcement today, while difficult for the workers involved, in no way reflects the long-term plans for Intel in Ireland. Like every other commercial body, they have to respond to the current challenges in their market. As a local TD, I will continue to liaise with the company and the workers in Intel, and contribute in any way I can, to manage through the current business cycle.' concluded Minister Brady