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

I think the Deputy is being a bit unfair here. She keeps referring back to a statement from 2018. We have already committed, and it is an action in the climate action plan, to review that policy and to update it. That work has begun. It will involve all of the conversations the Deputy has just touched on and all of the reasons to recognise where we are in respect of the climate change and climate adaptation measures, but also to recognise the importance of data centres in this country and how we can balance the two. That is what the report will do. The updated statement is due in quarter 2. I think we are on the same page here. Referencing what happened before 2018 is not where this report is at. This report is updating that policy so we should be able to achieve what the Deputy wants to achieve.

I am glad the Deputy recognises the importance of data centres. We have to recognise that the providers of data centres have ambitions in regard to green energy well beyond the Government's. They intend to be at 100% by 2025 and we want to work with them on that. It is a major sector in this country but it is also a major sector for our construction partners who are involved in this business all over the world and are having a major impact for Ireland. It is an area of high expertise for us, it is one that we excel in and we want to continue to do that, but in a climate-friendly way.

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