Israel..... or Ireland
Israel or Ireland- where will Intel choose? Readers of this blog will remember recently I asked whether Intel would choose to locate their next FAB facility in Israel or Ireland?
At the time it seemed given recent political events that Ireland might have been placed higher up the rankings but it appears from not only well informed local sources but also from legitimate and established government sources that this decision may actually be moving heavily in Israel’s favour.
The decision for Intel to locate its next major FAB to the Kiryat Gat facility will be a serious blow to confidence in Ireland Inc. Considerable hopes are vested in Intel choosing Ireland given the recent completion of retrofit activity at Intel Lexlip and the fact that it has been almost 5 years since the last major Intel project FAB 24-2 came to a close at Leixlip.
But why choose Israel given previous concerns? Well its perhaps nothing to do with politics and actually everything to do with politics.
Israel unlike Ireland is unconstrained in providing direct government funding for FDI projects such as Intel’s due to EU legislation. Apart this, given latest form from the Irish government when it comes to pleas for urgent and proactive support to commercial enterprise, Ireland has taken very much a back seat approach. The comparrison with Israel could not be more stark with direct active and highly creative support from the Israeli Finance and Enterprise Ministry which is doing all it can to bend, twist and manhandle existing legislation to ensure that Intel comes to Israel.
Ireland could obviously learn a few leasons from Israel…
