Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Since my appointment as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I have met the managements of such companies, including the manager of Intel's Irish operation, on a regular basis. The employment offered by Intel is robust. Many towns would love to have an employer such as Intel which continues and will continue to make a significant contribution to the economy. Intel is investing significantly in research and development initiatives. As part of its ongoing contact with the company, IDA Ireland is anxious to broaden the range of activities in which Intel engages in Ireland. IDA Ireland and Intel are hoping to work together over the next ten years to engage in research which will produce new products and solutions for the market. That is the best way of underpinning Intel's contribution to the Irish and global economies, which has been to produce quality products.

The number of jobs in many major companies varies as demand peaks and falls over the course of the year. Seasonal employment is distinct from the core employment offered by such operations. It is obvious that more temporary contracts are offered by many companies in the run-up to Christmas, before the level of such employment decreases again. The volume of activity sustained by a company the size of Intel and those who engage with it will always ebb and flow. The Government has been articulating the need to safeguard in a vigilant manner the cost base of the economy as it has developed. We have to be conscious of the competition we face in areas such as energy and labour costs. We are taking on board the concerns outlined to us by many companies. When I met representatives of a number of companies, not including Intel, in the United States last week, they spoke positively about the degree to which their Irish facilities contributed to their global successes. They made no bones about the high level of skill of the Irish workforce and the continuing contribution of Irish workers to the successes of global companies. Such comments have been repeated by representatives of many companies which operate in Ireland.

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