Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

AI uses enormous amounts of energy. That is a problem. The US says it will be fossil fuels. The French say it will be nuclear power. Ireland will have wind energy but there will be a gap in between. When the wind starts to flow - offshore wind in particular - we hope there will 5 GW by 2030 and more in 2031 and 2032. We cannot shut the door on data centres in an absolutist way, which is what the Deputy is essentially proposing. We would damage our economy if we did that. It would damage workers in particular and their prospects for the future. We would be sending a signal that we do not want to participate in an evolving, growing, innovative economy that will develop despite us. There will be massive investment in AI across Europe.

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