Intel's first Irish-designed microchip has been developed at its research and development centre in Shannon, Co Clare.
Intel employs 3, 200 people at its plant in Leixlip, Co Dublin, in the production of chips of various kinds but these have been developed abroad.
Since March 2000 the giant chip-producer has had an R&D group based in Shannon, the first such centre to be located outside the US. The Shannon centre, Intel Communications Europe Ltd, employs 85 people. It specialises in leading broadband access technologies.
Broadband technologies, which give high-speed Internet access, are now being introduced into the Irish market by Eircom, Esat and other telecoms providers. The Shannon Intel staff are developing devices to be installed in small to medium-size businesses and in homes.
Called IXP425, the new chip will be on the general market by the end of the summer.
"The IXP425 is a network processor, targeted at the next generation of broadband applications," Mr Peter McNamara, the managing director of the Shannon company, said. It will also be used for encryption and improved network routing capabilities, all with any combination of data, voice and video.
An advantage of the chip is that it works with an emerging standard for broadband that will enable residential and business premises to have data transmission speeds of up to 100 Mb/s.
The Shannon centre began operations when Intel acquired the Basis Communications Corporation operation.