ANY SIGNIFICANT alteration to Irish tax policy could signal a change in big American corporations establishing bases in Ireland, according to the executive charged with finding suitable sites for Intel plants around the world.

Nanci Palmintere, the Intel senior executive responsible for all government negotiations associated with site selection, said that the tax system in place was a key driver in deciding to locate in a particular country.

Ms Palmintere, vice-president of finance and enterprise and director of global tax and trade for Intel, was speaking at NUI Galway, where she delivered the keynote speech at the Tax Research Network annual conference.

She said Intel had invested heavily in Ireland because of a variety of factors which made it favourable, but warned that a change to tax policy could have an impact on large corporations coming here.

Intel, which opened in Dublin in 1979, has more than 5,000 people employed in the plant and contributed €463 million in payroll and purchases in the Irish economy last year.

Globally, Intel has 300 facilities in 50 countries and had a net revenue last year of $38 billion. The corporation employs more than 80,000 worldwide.

Ms Palmintere said that a variety of factors were taken into account in selecting a site, including land, access to an airport hub and level of educated workforce.

But ultimately, cost was the primary factor. She said that Ireland's 12.5 per cent corporate tax rate made it very attractive.

"However, alterations to the tax system could have an impact on large corporations coming to a country.

"There needs to be consistency and transparency in the operating conditions," she said.

She said that tax harmonisation in Europe would be difficult to achieve and would alter the operating conditions.