Madam, - One would scarcely recognise the "growing pains" of the Irish economy (as your editorial puts it) from the hysterical reaction from certain commentators and Government cheerleaders following the withdrawal of proposed state aid from Intel.
Once more the big bad wolf is the EU. Apparently handing out over €100m of taxpayers money to a massively profitably multinational which already benefits from one of the lowest tax regimes in Europe is a new form of competitiveness.
I, for one, am thankful to the EU for saving us from this logic. Given that the proposed investment is to go ahead anyway the economic logic of the original application is highly questionable.
What if the shoe was on the other foot, a new chip manufacturing facility opening in France or Sweden receiving millions of euro from national coffers thus affecting Intel's business and jobs in Ireland? We can only imagine the outcry. The European Commission provides an independent role in scrutinising the fairness of member-states' industrial policies. Like any referee we know a good job is being done when the teams howl the loudest. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL MC LOUGHLIN, Riverwood Heath, Castleknock, Dublin 15.
Madam, - I noted in your articles yesterday little focus on a key stipulation for receipt of the Intel grant - technological innovation.
Remember Intel's Irish operation is a production facility. The grant supports those that innovate. Putting it simply - production facility = No; production with R&D = Yes. - Yours, etc.,
JAMES WHEELER¨, Parkview, Northbrook Ave., Ranelagh, Dublin 6