Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the question of energy security under the issue of national security. I do so because energy security is central to the number of data centres that are connecting not just to the national grid but now we see to the gas grid. The cables for these data centres that link them with Europe and the US are coming from Ireland and lying under our ocean so it is a question of national security also.

I condemn the decision to allow 11 more data centres onto the gas grid, because this may facilitate them to continue producing the data that then allow companies to buy and sell products around the globe while they mine into our information and create lots of profits, but at the same time it will drive our emissions through the roof. There is a prediction that by 2030 we could well be fined €8 billion in penalties for failing to reach our emissions targets. We have lots of money to slosh around but perhaps that €8 billion would be better spent elsewhere.

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