Intel has chosen its Leixlip campus as one of two new European R&D hubs in a move that could lead to new jobs and investment in the future.
The US firm, which employs 5,000 people in Ireland, said today it would set up the two “Open Labs” in Leixlip and Munich as part of a new initiative to coordinate the work of 800 Intel researchers at different sites in Europe.
They will focus on research that aims to improve the performance of microprocessors and computing devices they power.
At the launch of the Intel Labs initiative in Brussels, Intel chairman Craig Barrett said he was "very exited" by the
potential of Intel's Irish research teams. He also downplayed the prospects of job losses at Intel's Leixlip facility saying the future is still "bright".
"We recently announced some factory restructuring and it didn't include Ireland... so there is no immediate danger of job cuts in Ireland but no one can predict the future this is one of the worst recessions we have ever seen. So we will take it day be day," he said.
Mr Barrett declined to comment on fears US companies may pull out of Ireland if there is a second no vote on the Lisbon treaty, saying this was a decision "for EU citizens".
But Martin Curley, director of Intel Labs Europe, said Ireland was too small to have a "go it alone" strategy with regard to the EU and the Lisbon treaty.
"We have the opportunity to be an equal player in Europe and help shape a new future it is critically important that we embrace that. We only have to look at Iceland and look at consequences of being outside European networks," said Mr Curley, who noted that Irish membership of the Union was a critical factor for Intel when setting up back in 1989.
"Think back to 1989 when Intel made the decision to come into Ireland. One of the drivers was the idea of fortress Europe and import tariffs that would be placed on US and other foreign companies that would be importing products into Europe," he said.
Fianna Fáil MEP Liam Aylward, who attended the launch of the Intel labs initiative, said the new lab was a vote of confidence by Intel in Ireland.
“This is a very strong and welcome message for our country at this difficult economic time. The message from Brussels today is that Ireland Inc is very much open for business,” he said.