Hundreds of new Intel jobs for Leixlip in €5bn investment

Computer chip maker Intel is to invest €5bn in its plant in Leixlip, Co Kildare, to expand its manufacturing output.

The company said it will create several hundred new jobs at its Irish base, as well as thousands of construction jobs.

Intel currently employs 4,900 people in Ireland.

The investment will not involve the building of new manufacturing plants but rather the upgrading of existing fabrication facilities and the installation of new equipment.

Intel said that global demand for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing is driving the need for its expansion in Ireland.

The €5bn expansion programme started earlier this year and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

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“This €5bn investment represents a definitive commitment to maximize capacity at our Leixlip campus and increase what we can deliver to Intel Foundry customers,” said Naga Chandrasekaran, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Operations Officer and General Manager of Intel Foundry.

“By investing in our existing fabs with state-of-the-art technology and installing cutting-edge tools, we are not just increasing output of critical products like Xeon 6 and next gen Intel Xeon processors built on Intel 3, we are ensuring that Ireland remains at the forefront of the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystems, while strengthening the region’s role in the global technology landscape,” Mr Chandrasekaran said.

Welcoming the announcement, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Intel’s latest multi-billion-euro investment in Leixlip is a powerful vote of confidence in Ireland.

“At a time of rapid technological change and global competition, this expansion strengthens Ireland’s role in securing resilient semiconductor supply chains and reinforces our ambition to remain a global leader in innovation, productivity and sustainable economic growth,” Mr Martin said.

Intel has invested more than €30bn in Ireland since establishing operations in 1989.

“This project demonstrates the value of Ireland’s skilled workforce, innovation ecosystem and stable business environment, while reinforcing Ireland’s leadership in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, supporting both European competitiveness and resilient global supply chains,” said IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan.

Job cuts last year

In June last year Intel informed the Government that up to 195 staff could face compulsory redundancy at its plant in Leixlip.

It followed the announcement of a 20% cut to its global workforce.

Intel had been struggling after being left behind by rivals in the development of AI chips and the company has undergone a major turnaround over the last year.

In August 2025, the US government announced that it was taking a 10% stake in Intel.

In the months that followed, major investments and deals were announced involving companies such as Nvidia, Apple and Tesla.

It has helped Intel to tap into the AI boom amid renewed demand for its central processing units (CPU) and data centre products.

Watch: Taoiseach welcomes Intel investment to Leixlip plant

In April, Intel announced that it is to repurchase a 49% stake in a joint venture linked to its “Fab 34” manufacturing facility in Leixlip.

Intel announced the sale of the stake to Apollo Global Management in June 2024 for $11.2bn.

The company said it has reached a deal to repurchase the 49% equity interest in the joint venture for $14.2bn.