Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Bill will allow EirGrid to procure 450 MW of backup electricity generation capacity to ensure we will have enough electricity to meet growing demand in the coming years. Sinn Féin has no choice but to support the Bill. It is essential if we are to avoid electricity blackouts. It is a sad reflection on Government policy, or the lack of it, that we are in this situation. This is a direct result of failed Government policy. Failing to plan means planning to fail.

This shortfall in electricity supply is primarily due to the rapid expansion of data centres. The Government has failed to manage the development of data centres. Of course, we need data centres but they must be in proportion to our data usage. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have made this country a data centre dumping ground, which has allowed other countries to abdicate their responsibilities. Every country must share the burden. Data centres account for 14% of all our electricity usage, as much as all the homes in rural Ireland combined, and this usage is heading for 30% by 2030. It is simply not sustainable. The extra electricity generation that will be necessary is likely to come from additional gas generators at a cost of €350 million. The cost will be paid by electricity customers - they will love that - over a three-year period, and we have the scenario of a Green Party Minister investing in fossil fuels. It simply does not make sense.

The war in Ukraine should have been a wake-up call to take action in ensuring our energy supply is secure.

The energy security review must be published immediately. There has been far too much dithering, and we need a credible plan to prevent brownouts and blackouts. The gap between supply and demand of electricity has been caused by the major drain data centres are placing on the grid. The previous Fine Gael Government welcomed data centres with open arms and sought to make Ireland the data centre capital of the world, with no consideration of the impact that would have on our electricity supply.

Sinn Féin will propose a number of amendments to the Bill, as the Minister of State will be aware. We must prioritise renewable energy or low-carbon backup electricity generation where possible. We need a moratorium on grid connections for new data centres. We need a report on the policy failures of electricity supply and demand that have led us to the point at which we need to procure emergency additional capacity. Finally, we need to update wind energy guidelines and we need those updated guidelines to be published. The current guidelines are 16 years old and out of date. We need to protect our rural and scenic areas. The midlands has reached saturation point with industrial wind turbines. The obvious answer, as we know, is offshore.

I listened to other Deputies earlier. Deputy Whitmore said it will be a long two and a half years. I do not agree because people are sick and tired of this Government and want rid of it at this stage.

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