Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes. The Deputy can bring that up on Leaders' Questions the next time. On 23 February 2015, Apple announced to major fanfare its biggest project in Europe to date, a €1.7 billion investment in two data centres to be located in Athenry, Galway, as well as in Denmark. It had plans to create hundreds of local jobs in construction and operations, providing amenities for local schools and residents, as well as running the plants on clean and renewable energy from the outset. Nearly three years on, the plant in Denmark is set to be up and running before the end of the year, as per Apple's projected schedule, while the plant in Athenry has not even secured full planning permission yet. Apple announced last month new plans to build a second data centre in Denmark at a cost of more than €800 million, which will also run entirely on renewable energy. Apple considered 19 countries before settling in Ireland for one of the data centres and there was great excitement about job creation possibilities, opportunities for small, local businesses and communities, as well as the spin-off benefit of other multinational companies coming to Ireland on the back of such a successful global company choosing Ireland as its base. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Apple is reconsidering its decision to locate in Ireland as it is concerned that even if the Commercial Court approves the application in October, there could be further objections down the line to further delay the project.

There is a serious worry that the second Danish plant could be a replacement for the plant planned for Galway. It is scheduled to begin operations in the second quarter of 2019. There is a bigger underlying issue of concern as Ireland is sending a signal to other large multinational companies looking for a European base that planning in Ireland can be mired in delays, with large infrastructural projects being held up for years on the back of minor objections. The fear is that any multinational company examining Apple's experience in Galway may not consider Ireland. We will be bypassed for a country with progressive planning laws, where governments do everything possible to create inward investment.

This is not about Galway or Apple but rather it is about Ireland. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment to this House and the multinational companies across the world that Ireland's planning laws will be changed to ensure this scenario will not be repeated? What is the Government proposing to do to inform and modernise planning laws to ensure we do not have a repeat of what happened with Apple's application in Galway?

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