Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There has been a commonality in People Before Profit to demonise data centres. I just saw the Deputy using her phone. Phones are central to everything data centres present around AI and online storage. They are critical to the infrastructure of a modern economy in Ireland. We will continue to deliver a balanced approach to facilitate additional demand for energy by data centres. The Government has outlined clear principles for sustainable data centre development. In July 2022, we published the Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy. It provided clear guidance to decision-makers in the planning process and encouragement for the data centre sector to implement decarbonised energy solutions and increase efficiency. It is the Government's preference for data centres to demonstrate decarbonisation in their design and additionality around renewable energy usage. That has been discussed with the sector and the IDA to provide a balance in continuing economic growth, ensuring that the future of tech companies, which provide thousands of jobs to this country, can be secured.

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