Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this issue. As I am aware that she raised it in the autumn as well, it is timely to provide the Deputy with an update. The Climate Action Plan 2021 requires my Department to review the Government statement on the role of data centres in enterprise policy, ensuring alignment with revised renewable electricity targets and sectoral emissions ceilings. The revised statement will set out the existing policy context and reflect the important economic and societal role of data services that became ever more apparent since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and remote working. Data centres securely store and manage the data which keep much of our information-based economy and society moving. These investments underpin the digital economy in which data are the key asset. However, the revised statement will also seek to ensure that demand for data centre development can be managed prudently and assist in the decarbonisation of our electricity system and deliver regional economic opportunities. It will take account of recent public consultations from EirGrid, including Shaping Our Electricity Future, and the consultation paper by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities on a proposed direction to the system operators related to data centre grid connections, which demonstrate an appropriate, timely and planned approach to managing these challenges on the part of the organisations tasked with delivering and managing our electricity grid.

As to the status of work to revise the statement, a working group of key stakeholders has been established and held its first meeting recently in mid-March. As well as my own Department, the organisations represented were the Departments of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Taoiseach and Public Expenditure and Reform, EirGrid, ESB Networks, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. Further meetings of the working group will take place over the coming months to develop the revised statement for its consideration by Government and finalisation and publication. That is on track to be completed in quarter 2 of this year.

See this speech in context