Mr. Gary Tobin:

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment believes data centres are key to ensuring Ireland remains a key European hub for ICT. Many people ask what is important about data centres but they are the anchor for many of the companies and their investments. However, we have to be careful about the speed at which we are connecting some of these very large energy users to our grid at a time when our grid needs investment. Ireland is not unique in this in that nearly every country in Europe is facing demand for significant grid investment. Some of the data centres use the same amount of electricity as a medium or large town, so we need to focus on data centres that create a positive economic impact, make efficient use of the electricity grid and ensure everything is done in a very planned way. As I understand it, a significant number of new data centres already have the necessary consent to attach to the grid. There is a challenge in the short to medium term regarding absolutely new data centres, but we are talking to and engaging with our colleagues in the Department of energy to try to square the circle in developing the grid and then connecting large energy users appropriately. In the short term, however, it will be a challenge. Approximately 18% of all electricity usage in Ireland is now due to data centres.