Energy Security: Statements
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-29
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Joanne Collins (SF), Agricultural Panel

I welcome the Minister of State. Energy security goes to the heart of our economic stability, climate obligations and the basic fairness owed to our citizens. The recent warnings from EirGrid should set alarm bells ringing across this House. Its assessment was stark. Over the next decade, Ireland faces serious challenges in meeting overall electricity demand. A key driver of that risk is the unchecked expansion of data centres. This is not a new concern. Sinn Féin has consistently warned that the Government's approach in this area is unsustainable. Now, the State's own operator is confirming it. The figures speak for themselves. Since 2015, electricity demand from data centres has increased by over 500%. According to the CSO, these facilities accounted for 22% of all metered electricity consumption in 2024 up from 5% less than a decade ago. The projections suggest that could rise to at least one third of total electricity demand by the end of this decade.
To put that into context, data centres now consume more electricity than all of our rural households combined. At the same time, families struggling with the cost of living are paying twice as much for electricity as some of these large-scale users. That is not just unsustainable; it is fundamentally unfair on households. Workers, families and small businesses are effectively being asked to subsidise what is placing our electricity under so much strain. While demand soars, the Government has failed to keep pace with investment and generation capacity. This is a point Sinn Féin has raised time and again. Once again, it has been ignored.
Where do we go from here? The first come, first-served basis must be ended when it comes to grid connections. It makes no sense for critical infrastructure like housing and public transport to be left waiting while energy-intensive data centres get a wave through. The framework that puts the public interest first needs to be prioritised, ensuring energy, affordability, housing delivery and essential services take precedence over corporate demand. The supply side must also be addressed. This is where Ireland has enormous untapped potential. Offshore wind is not just an opportunity; it is a necessity. Our Atlantic coastline offers some of the best wind resource in Europe. If properly harnessed, offshore wind can transform Ireland from a country worried about energy shortages to a net exporter of clean energy, but it requires urgency, co-ordination and investment.
In that context, the role of Shannon Foynes Port Company, with which I know the Minister of State is familiar, is critical. The Shannon Estuary has been identified as a key hub for offshore renewable energy, particularly for floating wind. With the right support, Shannon Foynes can become a strategic centre for the assembly, servicing and development of offshore wind infrastructure. It is not just about energy security. This is also about regional development, job creation and ensuring the benefits of the green transition are felt across the country, which includes the mid-west. This will not happen by accident. It requires a Government willing to plan, invest and prioritise long-term national interest over short-term gain. I know the designated marine area plans, DMAPs, are progressing at the moment. It would be nice to see them progress faster and if they had started on the west coast where Shannon Foynes Port has a plan in place, it would come in before the next stream of funding ends. Instead, we have seen a reactive approach that rolls out the red carpet to data centres while failing to build the infrastructure needed to support sustainable growth. The consequences are clear - pressure on the grid, rising costs for households and increasing risk to our energy security.
Ireland stands at a crossroads. We can continue down the current path, which is inequitable, unsustainable and increasingly risky, or we can choose a different approach that puts our citizens first, invests in renewable capacity and secures an energy future. Sinn Féin is clear - the public interest must come first. That means reining in the reckless expansion of data centres, prioritising grid access for essential needs and accelerating the development of offshore wind with strategic assessment and assets like Shannon Foynes Port at the heart of it. If we get this right, we can deliver affordable energy, meet our climate targets and build a resilient economy for the future. However, if we get it wrong, ordinary people will have to pay for it again.

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Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-29