1,000 jobs could be at risk at Kildare Intel plant

UP to 1,000 jobs could be at risk at Intel’s Kildare plant as the tech giant prepares to announce global lay-offs affecting 20% of its workforce.

Intel, which employs around 5,000 people in Ireland—many in Leixlip—has yet to confirm if the cuts will impact its Irish operations.

However, ministers are concerned about potential losses, particularly given Intel’s focus on cost-cutting and restructuring.

Local TD James Lawless expressed cautious optimism, noting that the Leixlip site’s focus on engineering and manufacturing may shield it from the worst of the cuts, which are reportedly aimed at trimming non-core functions.

Fianna Fáil TD Naoise Ó Cearúil and local councillors stressed the need for support plans if redundancies occur.

Councillors are set to meet Intel representatives next week for further updates.

Intel has already cut around 15,000 jobs globally in the past year, with its workforce dropping to just under 109,000 by the end of 2024.