Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I am glad the Minister has clarified how the ambition of the Government is to meet those future needs. The future is both green and digital. It is wrong that the debate has been presented by some as a choice between one and the other. The critical issue is that we have a sufficient supply, particularly of clean energy, to meet our future needs.

On the new economy, data centres often get a very bad reputation. I want to highlight the recent €3.5 billion investment by Echelon in Arklow. This was the first grid connection for data centres approved in more than four years. Despite Sinn Féin opposition, the local Sinn Féin TD made sure to show up for the announcement of that investment and the future jobs that would be available there.

I get annoyed when this is presented as a debate of one or the other. The Minister is right; we must meet the energy requirements in total.

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