Bríd Smith warns Ireland is outlier on data centre power use
Bríd Smith challenged the minister over the rapid expansion of data centres and their strain on the national grid, calling for an immediate moratorium. She argued the state is an outlier in the share of generated power consumed by data centres and urged legislative restrictions.
Data centre energy burden
Bríd Smith highlighted that while the global average of grid use by data centres is 2-4%, the state could be absorbing up to 30% of its national grid to feed data centres. She cited a recent report by the Irish Academy of Engineering estimating that expansion will require almost 9 billion in new energy infrastructure and add at least 1.5 million tonnes to Ireland's carbon emissions by 2030.
Cost and environmental impact
She warned that the primary costs will fall on the environment and on people already struggling with the cost of living, calling the trajectory "insane" and "unbelievable". Smith emphasised the combined damage to communities and to Ireland's emissions profile if unchecked development continues.
Call for legislative moratorium
The deputy urged that the current legislation be amended to include strict restrictions, sealed amendments and clear dates to guarantee a moratorium on any further data centre development. She argued that firm legal measures are necessary to halt projects while the wider implications are examined.
Accountability and information gaps
Smith described difficulties obtaining information, saying she had written to the minister's department and been told it was not their business but "crew", and that she was still waiting for answers from crew. She criticised the process as an inefficient way to conduct democratic oversight and stressed the need to protect the interests of the public she represents.
Questions for the minister
Throughout the speech she repeatedly asked why Ireland is allowing disproportionately high data centre power use and why the state is not standing up to impose limits now. She echoed concerns raised by Deputy Whitmore and pressed the minister to address the immediate policy and accountability issues raised.
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I'd like to make on this minister. Do you deny that this state is an outlier in terms of the percentage of generated power that is used up by data centres compared to other states? The average across the globe is 2 to 4 per cent of the national grid and we are looking at a situation where we could be absorbing 30 per cent of the national grid to feed data centres. To echo something Deputy Whitmore said there, a recent report by the Irish Academy of Engineering estimated data centre expansion will require almost 9 billion in new energy infrastructure and add at least 1.5 million tonnes to Ireland's carbon emissions by 2030. Now the question is who is going to pay for all this? First of all it is the environment and most importantly it is people struggling with cost of living difficulties already. None of this makes sense and I think that we haven't had a chance to examine it, to drill down on it. So I think the best we can do is to put restrictions into this piece of legislation that will absolutely guarantee that there will be a complete sealing put on some of the amendments, put sealants, put dates and this one to really ensure that in legislation we will put a moratorium on any more data centres. We have the added problem. I have written to your department and asked you how many data centres are due to be connected that already have agreements and you said it is not your business, it is crew. I have written to crew and I still have to get an answer. I am not saying we do not have faith in our public servants but it is an inefficient way of dealing with democracy. For us who have to be accountable for this we have to protect the people and exploit the interests of the people we represent. The added cost to people as well as the damage to the environment that this is doing is just insane and it is unbelievable that it is being proceeded with. But maybe you would address that question. Ireland are an outlier in terms of the percentage of power that goes to data centres compared to other countries. And why are we allowing that? Why are we not standing up for what is the right thing to do and insisting that that is at least at this point a sealing put on it and no more? Do we not stand it anymore? Right. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is.
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