Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

We will see how it goes. I welcome the motion tabled by the Rural Independent Group. It is a good motion which touches on many issues concerning energy. One of the issues I wish to reference relates to the proliferation of data centres in the country. I refer specifically to the South Dublin County Council area where, currently, there are close to 50 data centres. It has the highest concentration of data centres in the country. The facts are stark in regard to data centres not only in this county council area but elsewhere in the State. Currently, data centres use 14% to 15% of all electricity demand but in eight years' time, that will increase to 30%. It is an incredibly stark figure when we think that one third of electricity demand will come from one type of entity in the State, namely, data centres. We are not against data centres per se, but we must question the social use of data centres given their proliferation.

With the help of my party colleague Councillor Madeleine Johansson, South Dublin County Council voted to put a moratorium on all data centres in the council area between now and 2028. That vote has been overturned by the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, which is completely wrong. It is against local democracy. Councillors should have a say. They should have a voice with respect to data centres being concentrated in their area.

The facts are incredible. Around the world, data centres typically account for up to 3% or 4% of electricity demand. As I said, in Ireland it is 15% and growing. What could happen is that, because data centres are using so much of the resource, a sudden shock in demand will cause households to be in the dark. There is such a concentration of electricity for data centres and it is not sustainable. As a member of the Green Party, surely the Minister of State agrees this is not a sustainable model of electricity supply and demand? I ask him to relay to his Government colleagues that local democracy should be upheld. There should be a moratorium on all data centres, not only in South Dublin County Council but in the State as a whole.

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