Ireland gave Intel most of its non-US grants

Irish taxpayers funded most of the $645m in grants and tax credits that tech giant Intel received outside the US last year, newly filed financial records show.

It suggests Intel will benefit from at least $322.5m in grants and refundable tax credits from Ireland.

The grants and refundable tax credits are related to the significant expansion of its silicon wafer manufacturing facilities in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

The $17bn worth of investment in the facility is one of the most substantial ever made in the State.

A spokeswoman for Intel said initiatives like research and development tax credits and grants created a “competitive advantage for companies undertaking leading-edge technology activities in Ireland”.

She added the company had just completed construction of its newest facility in Ireland.

Intel, which has operated in Ireland for 35 years, records government incentives when it believes there is “reasonable assurance” that the incentive will be received.

The company’s figure for non-US government grants was up from $373m in 2022.

The incentives being provided to attract Intel’s investment come at a time of growing competition between countries vying for foreign direct investment.

In the last few years, the US has significantly enhanced its efforts to incentivise companies to build “on-shore” and “near-shore” super high-tech manufacturing facilities.

This is in part to deny China access to this technology and also because US politicians see significant political capital to be gained in attracting more manufacturing jobs to the US.