Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We heard very serious concerns before last summer about the level of potential consumption of energy by data centres. We had a somewhat disappointing discussion about this matter in the autumn. Since then, new guidance has been given, new progress has been made and new measures have been taken, however, I am concerned when we see what is happening in Ennis and in other places. There may be situations where large-scale data centres go ahead even though we do not, as yet, have a hard requirement that they can only be powered by means of renewable energy, for example. In other European countries, most large-scale data centres are publicly run - such is the case in Norway - and private customers can access them. Is that a better model if we want to ensure energy security? This would recognise the fact that data centres play a role, while ensuring tighter regulatory control rather than having a preponderance of private data centres being built in Ireland, as is the case at present, that could give rise to a real energy crunch in the near future.