Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. There is no official record of the number of data centres in Ireland. We are reliant on consulting companies, such as Bitpower, which reported in June 2023 that there are 82 data centres operating in Ireland - this is an increase of seven in one year - and that 77 of them are in the Dublin region. Bitpower estimates that 14 centres are under construction with planning approval for 40 more centres as part of 22 projects. Imagine that we are relying on Bitpower to tell us this. The Government strategy that was there when I come into the Dáil was a thumbs-up for the data centres. When that was reviewed, it was two thumbs-up for the data centres, without an analysis. EirGrid said in 2022 that it would not provide any more new grid connections to data centres in the Dublin area. I believe the Minister of State is confirming now that the three centres being proposed by the company predate that decision. Some 30% of our electricity will go to data centres by 2030.

See this speech in context