Irish county councillors are worried by Intel's refusal to tell them if local redundancies are coming.

Intel's Leixlip fabrication plant employs more than 4,500 people in Kildare. The company's operations in the rest of Ireland employ a further 700 people.

On Tuesday, CEO Brian Krzanich announced that about 12,000 people, or 11 per cent of its 107,000 worldwide staff, would be shed by mid-2017.

The jobs would be cut "through site consolidations, a combination of voluntary and involuntary departures, re-evaluation of projects, and an increased focus on efficiency in a variety of programs."

When questioned on how this would affect its Irish operations, an Intel spokesperson told us: "We are not providing site-specific information at this time, and we are still evaluating our plans for Europe."

At the last meeting between Kildare County councillors and Intel, the company claimed things were picking up – and the volte face has provoked concern.

Sinn Féin's Íde Cussen, who represents the Celbridge-Leixlip ward in County Kildare, told The Register: "At the moment Intel haven't given any indication that there will be any job losses at its Leixlip plant and it seems it will be about two months before details are released, which is an unreasonable position to put employees in."

Cussen continued: "The acting minister [for jobs, enterprise and innovation] Richard Bruton needs to engage with Intel management and ascertain the position for the 4,500 employees at the Leixlip plant. Intel contribute directly to the local economy – and, indirectly, thousands of other jobs."

Bernard Caldwell, an independent councillor for Celbridge-Leixlip, said to The Register: "You'd have to be concerned," and that "Intel have a habit of employing and then unemploying people over the years." ®