Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have a certain amount of concern. What happened in the case of the proposed Apple data centre in the west of Ireland was totally wrong. It probably robbed key infrastructure and jobs from that area. I am conscious that we could have a knee-jerk reaction to what happened in that case.

These data centres are huge consumers of energy. We have problems regarding climate change. Most data centres are offshore. Ireland is an offshore data centre for Europe. While I do not intend to object to this amendment, I suggest the Government needs to think more deeply about how we use our energy output in Ireland. A serious cost-benefit analysis is needed.

We will have to meet tough climate change regulations in the coming decades. We need to look at the energy consumption and carbon footprint of the infrastructure we develop in Ireland. Such factors need to be considered when infrastructure is being planned. I advise the Minister of State to be cautious. I will not object to this amendment because I agree that what happened in the case of the Apple centre was incorrect. We need a far more wide-ranging strategy for energy use and carbon emissions within our borders. As I have said, it is going to get much tougher to reach the targets we have set for ourselves and the EU has set for us. We have to watch everything.