Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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145. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a new national energy efficiency action plan will be drafted to reduce energy use including behavioural and awareness aspects of energy efficiency such as building and data management in view of the growth of data centres in the country and in line with commitments under the Programme for Government. [43746/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) has replaced the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP). Under the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, Ireland is committed to a binding target of 51% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030. An update of the 2019 Climate Action Plan is being finalised to give effect to this target which has  also been given legal force through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. The Plan will set out the range measures and actions required across all relevant sectors, including electricity and the built environment, to deliver on the binding emissions reduction target. 

The Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy (2018) acknowledges the role of data centres as part of the digital and communications infrastructure for many sectors of our economy.  The statement also notes that data centres pose considerable challenges to the future planning and operation of Ireland’s power system.

My Department is evaluating policies to encourage the development of renewable energy projects by the data centre sector to meet their own demand and to contribute to the target set out in the 2019 Climate Action Plan of meeting 15% of electricity demand through Corporate Power Purchase Agreements by 2030