Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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46. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he or his officials have had meetings or discussions with executives from a company (details supplied) regarding the proposed data centre in Athenry, specifically as regards the provision of a 100% renewable energy supply for the facility. [49096/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I can confirm that neither myself nor officials from my Department have had discussions with executives from Apple regarding the proposed data centre, or its energy supply source, in Athenry.  However my officials occasionally meet with IDA representatives and their client companies as part of routine engagement on wider energy policy developments.

The level of interest from energy intensive industry such as data centres, in Ireland has increased in recent years and has the potential to drive growth in electricity demand.  Significantly, one of the key reasons cited for this increased level of interest is Ireland’s positive record in the area of renewable energy deployment.

Data centres consume very large amounts of energy and the scale and quantity of their development presents challenges to Ireland’s national grid. EirGrid, the state’s electricity transmission system operator, makes considerable efforts to ensure that the electricity system can cope with the increasing demands placed on it by the increase in the number of data centres in the last decade, as well as planning to meet future demands, as reflected in their Tomorrow's Energy Scenarios 2017publication.

According to EirGrid’s latest Generation Capacity Statement there are currently approximately 250 megavolt amperes (MVA) of installed data centres in Ireland. Megavolt ampere is the electricity terminology mainly used for grid connections. Furthermore, there are connection offers either in place or in the pipeline for a further 600 MVA. At present, there are enquiries for more than 1,000 MVA of additional data centres. These statistics demonstrate the scale of energising existing and proposed data centres.

In recognition of the economic potential that data centres can bring to Ireland, the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation in conjunction with other relevant Ministers is leading a  cross-government effort to develop a national policy statement on the strategic importance of data centres as part of Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy, with a first draft expected later this year. This strategic policy approach will include proposed amendments to the Strategic Infrastructure Act and take account of wider energy policy developments. I am firmly of the view that the development of data centres must be plan lead, focused on areas where there is strong grid and energy supply.  The policy statement must lay out a clear and balanced approach to the development of the sector, one that will take account of a variety of elements including regional development, costs and benefits and the impact on Ireland’s electricity grid.