“The outward looking perspective of the nation has
ensured that we have a vibrant environment here.
I don’t know of any multinational that has failed
here or not delivered on its mandate. We have the
benefit of having seen Ireland develop over the last
twenty years. Intel Ireland was a cornerstone client
of Ireland’s development throughout the ‘80s and
‘90s. It’s always been dynamic because of the people.
Many people from this Irish operation have gone
on to become leading lights at Intel internationally,
running factories from New Mexico to Arizona.”
Intel first set up in Ireland in 1989 and, after
gaining confidence in the environment that exists to
facilitate growth, has increased its presence steadily
ever since with a series of large investments.
“Over twenty years, Intel has invested a total of $7
billion in Ireland. When I think back to the work
that IDA Ireland did to attract Intel initially, I think
that they did a really great job. The foresight that
they demonstrated was quite remarkable. It took a
lot of courage and they should be justifiably proud.
IDA Ireland helped us every step of the way, from
identifying and acquiring the land, ensuring the
right infrastructure was in place, providing grant
support and guiding us through the
planning process.”
“In fact, the former CEO of Intel, Craig Barrett
at one point spoke about IDA Ireland, along
with Singapore’s development agency, as the two
exemplars he had come across internationally. That
goes to show the esteem in which they are held
globally.”
Intel was drawn to Ireland, not only because of
the endeavours of IDA Ireland, but also because
of a multitude of factors that remain in place
today. Attractive financial incentives such as
employment grants, capital grants and research
and development grants, combined with a low
corporation tax rate meant that Ireland looked
after the company’s bottom-line. Access to the EU
market via good infrastructure and a well-educated,
English-speaking workforce that included strong
management and operational personnel, contributed
to ongoing increased efficiencies to the point that
the Irish operation stood out from the pack.
“Just a couple of weeks ago, we received the ‘Intel
Quality Award’”, explains the Country Manager,
“this was in recognition of the fact that Ireland is
at the forefront of problem-solving globally and
has therefore made a huge contribution to the
corporation as a whole.”
In closing, Sinnott is very clear, when it comes to his
opinion of the Irish workforce,
“In terms of the requirements of a large
multinational, the people here in Ireland are as
good as you’ll find anywhere on the planet. We
are passionate about our work here. We run a
24/7 operation that is very demanding in terms of
brain power. We have created a really collegiate
atmosphere where people with advanced degrees are
working together to solve problems. You will find
it hard to find another environment that can rival
what Ireland has to offer.”
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