Intel denies plant proposal

INTEL has denied it is fighting hard to have a state-of-the-art €1.64 billion chip plant located at its complex in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

However, the group confirmed it is in the process of seeking planning permission for a plant that would employ 500 at full capacity and involved a further €1.64bn investment by the group.

The Intel spokeswoman said the group was always planning ahead leaving open the possibility of a battle royal down the line.

IDA Ireland also denied it was involved with Intel in trying to secure the proposed operation for Ireland.

IDA would be in the thick of things with the chip manufacturer if that was the case, said a spokeswoman.

“I have spoken to the person who looks after Intel within the IDA and there are no negotiations going on”, she said.

Reports yesterday said a decision on the plant could be made by the year end and that Intel Ireland was in the centre of a battle with two Intel operations in the US, to bring the plant to Ireland.

Intel’s spokeswoman said planning permission has not yet been granted.

She did confirm that Kildare County Council has indicated it will grant permission in about four weeks time for the proposed plant.

After that the public have a right to contest the permission and on past experience it could be Christmas before the final hurdles are cleared for the planning process, she said.

Having three different locations submitting similar planning applications was standard practice at the Intel organisation, she said.

It would be wrong to start drawing any conclusions at this stage, she said.

However she did not rule out suggestions of an impending battle for a new plant if one is proposed in the future.

In February the government was prevented from paying €100m in grants to the Fab 24 plant currently nearing completion at Leixlip, because there were not additional jobs involved and because it reinforced the group’s dominant position in the European chip market.

That ruling by the EU will not prevent the IDA from offering financial assistance to Intel in the future, the IDA spokeswoman confirmed.

Intel employs around 3,600 at its Co Kildare site and has invested more than €5 billion in Ireland.