The government must heed warnings that new housing developments will be put at risk if it continues to roll out the red carpet for data centres, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore.
Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on energy, said:
“Oonagh Buckley, secretary general at the Department of Environment, Climate and Energy, has painted a stark picture for the government if it allows further expansion of data centres. She warned that power shortages will result in the State having to choose whether it prioritises artificial intelligence (AI) or new homes.
“Such a scenario would be unthinkable in the middle of our worst ever housing crisis.
“While the Taoiseach has previously hit out at critics of the government’s expansion policy, there is growing concern among experts in this field over the impact of data centres on our energy security.
“The figures are shocking. Existing data centres are using 21 per cent of all electricity consumed in the State, while this rises to a staggering 50 per cent in the Dublin-Meath region. This is simply unsustainable.
“The government needs to be strategic when it comes to our energy infrastructure and cannot allow a situation where there is a free for all for data centres. We must make informed choices about how many data centres we can afford, not just in terms of energy security, but also how it impacts our climate action ambitions.
“This latest warning should serve as an urgent wake-up call for the government ahead of a decision by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) on what policy, or restrictions, should apply to new data centres.”
May 29, 2025