Dáil debates

Wednesday, 29 September 2021

Data Centre Moratorium: Motion [Private Members]

 

11:27 am

Photo of Richard O'DonoghueRichard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

If all the data centres proposed for Ireland are to be connected, they will use as much as 70% of Ireland's electricity capacity by 2030. Dublin has developed into a major data hub, but at what cost to our electricity supply? Ireland wants to reduce its emissions by slowing down energy use. Data centres put massive pressure on an existing system that is broken. Why is the Green Party in government turning a blind eye to this issue while farming groups are being pressurised to reduce the national herd by 50%? Household electricity costs have gone through the roof. The running costs for SMEs have also gone through the roof. The system is under pressure. There is much talk about a move to electric vehicles. We do not have the energy supply to support it.

The planning system was changed several years ago to allow for strategic infrastructure for data centres. What does Government expect people to do? Every action being taken by Government is costing rural areas the most. Carbon emissions is a big issue in rural Ireland because of the lack of infrastructure. Electricity costs are going through the roof because we have no other way of doing things. The Green Party is a city-based party. All of its Deputies are from the city. They know nothing; they are spoiled rotten. The Green Party thinks all it needs to do is throw some fairy dust up into the air and everything will be perfect. The leader of the Green Party and its elected members are away with the fairies. They need to wake up and look at what they are doing outside of Dublin. The are punishing rural Ireland. Rural Ireland will punish them at the next election. God help them all when they come to the doors.

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