Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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400. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the details of bodies or agencies of the State within his Department working with data centre companies to advance completion of data centre projects in Ireland. [17272/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Data centres are critical infrastructure for our modern economy. They are a key part of our value proposition for foreign direct investment and the associated employment and are central to Ireland’s economic and digital future – both in the Irish-Owned and FDI parts of the economy. In addition to their direct value, data centres anchor other very valuable investment in Ireland.

The Government's approach to data centres is articulated clearly in the 2022 Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy.

The Statement sets out that my Department, through the activities of IDA Ireland, ensures that enterprises including data centre developers can benefit from engagement and support. In line with enterprise policy, IDA Ireland will continue to prioritise data centre and data-centre related investments that deliver economic impact, contribute to productivity and value added in terms of the global ICT sector in Ireland, while minimising external costs.

The Government has included a commitment in the Programme for Government 2025, to supporting data centres that contribute to economic growth and the enterprise economy, and efficient grid usage, such as prioritising waste heat capture for district heating systems and other local uses.

To inform future policy on data centre development in Ireland, my Department is currently in the process of procuring independent experts to undertake research and analysis to provide a detailed view of the economic and societal benefits arising from data centres in Ireland. This work will look to identify opportunities for Ireland to evolve our data centre landscape in a way that optimises future economic and societal returns.