INTEL'S 2,800 staff in Leixlip, Co Kildare, are to receive an average bonus of £714 each after the company reported record after tax profits for its second quarter.
Intel's $1 billion (£624 million) profit during the three months to the end of June has resulted in a $77.4 million windfall for the company's 44,000 staff.
The average worldwide payment is £1,100 each but the average Intel payment in the Republic is lower for two reasons.
Salaries in Ireland are lower than those in the United States where Intel has a number of manufacturing locations. In addition the average age - and length of service of Irish employees tends to be lower than those in the US.
Each Intel employee who has more than 90 days' service will be paid 10.2 days' extra pay for the first six months of the year in early August. The bonus for the second half of the year is paid in early February. Bonuses are taxed if taken in cash, but if staff choose to take shares instead these can be sold tax free after five years. About half of the 2,800 employees take shares, but this percentage is rising.
Intel, which has already invested more than £1 billion in Ireland, is currently building a second water fabrication plant at Leixlip, which is expected to create a further 2,000 jobs.
