Intel job threat must be a wake-up call for government.
Intel job threat must be a wake-up call for government. - The Labour Party
- Minister must extensively engage with Intel leadership to secure clarity for workers.
- Government must work to reduce energy prices and improve infrastructure.
- Statutory Redundancy Weekly Wage Cap of €600 should be increased to €1,000.
Labour’s Enterprise Spokesperson George Lawlor TD has urged Intel to provide clarity for its Irish work force, called on the Minister for Enterprise to continue to engage with the company to protect jobs, and urged the government to use all levers at its disposal to secure manufacturing jobs and future investment.
Deputy Lawlor said:
“Intel has been a major employer in Ireland for decades and the reports that the company could shed 20% of its global workforce has sent shockwaves through the community. This speculation has created deep fear and uncertainty for thousands of families who depend on these good quality jobs. I would urge Intel to provide clarity as soon as possible for its Irish workers, while recognising the unique challenges the company faces in the shift to AI and the rise of competitors such as TSMC and Nvidia.
“This must be a wake-up call for the government on the urgent need to improve Irelands’ offering by reducing energy costs and speeding up the delivery of infrastructure. Semiconductors are at the heart of the digital economy, and Ireland needs to protect the decades of investment that has secured our place in the global supply chain.
“Ireland’s economy relies heavily on our multinational sector. A blow to a company like Intel not only affects direct employees but also hundreds of small businesses and services who rely on Intel workers as customers. The ripple effects through local economies could be devastating.
“Labour has consistently called for stronger protections for workers during corporate restructurings. We cannot stand idly by while workers are left in limbo, fearing for their futures based on anonymous sources and market whispers.
“The workers who have helped build Intel’s Irish operations into one of the company’s most important global hubs deserve to be fully informed. They are entitled to respect and to certainty about their livelihoods.
“I am calling on the Minister for Enterprise to continue to engage with Intel’s leadership to secure clarity for workers as soon as possible. We must ensure that workers’ rights are put first, that redundancies – if they come – are handled fairly and transparently, and that everything possible is done to protect Irish jobs.
“For some time, Labour has called for the weekly wage cap for statutory redundancy to be increased from €600 to €1,000. The cap has not been reviewed or revised upwards in 20 years. I would urge the Minister to act on this, to support workers at risk of losing their jobs.”