Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputies for their comments. The new Government data centre will provide secure but also green operations that will future-proof the reliable delivery of essential digital services. The intention is to operate a hybrid model utilising a Government data centre that combines Government and commercial cloud technology in an optimised way. That is part of the Government's wider digital strategy.

The Government data centre will be a 4 MW facility and obviously, as Deputies have pointed out, all data centres require energy. They are, however, an important part of being able to do business in Ireland and, from a Government perspective, being able to keep all our citizens' information within Ireland and safe. The Government is keen to achieve the decarbonisation of data centres. It has been great to see certain data centres take the lead themselves and not wait for new requirements, for example, using the excess heat from data centres to power public buildings, as South Dublin County Council is doing.

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