Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 23 September 2021

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Pre-Budget 2022 Scrutiny (Resumed): Minister for Finance

Photo of Mairead FarrellMairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to go back to the question of the energy crisis, as well as the energy costs crisis. I am sure the Minister is aware that, by the end of the decade, data centres are set to consume around 30%, and from figures that have been talked about, it will be 29% by 2028, in seven years. We know that as a result of increased energy usage from those already in operation, as well as issues in terms of imports of fossil fuels, there have been concerns about the possibility of blackouts. Companies constructing these data centres can qualify for capital allowances – basically, tax concessions - and the Taoiseach has also called for the fast-tracking of the construction of these data centres, which could mean even more tax concessions. However, the information on those capital allowances is not compiled separately by Revenue, so that information is not publicly available. Is it possible that this information would be made available? Is that something the Minister could look into because, realistically, it would be very important in terms of fiscal and environmental perspectives.

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