Data Centres
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-17
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Jennifer Whitmore (SD), Wicklow

The LEAP would enable, potentially, 50% of our electricity to go to data centres in the coming years. While the Minister said 80% has to come from renewables, there is a six-year path to that happening. In those six years, they can be based on gas. Data centres are pushing up our energy prices, they are making our grid unstable and they will make it impossible to meet our climate targets, which should be a concern to the Minister. That risks us having to pay €28 billion in fines. There is no point in the Minister shaking his head. That is what will happen unless the Minister knows something different. Has he been told by Europe those fines will not be imposed on countries that have not met their targets? We have to work on the assumption there is a €28 billion fine coming our way in 2030. The Minister is playing chicken with the EU on this. If it makes us pay it, we will be in serious trouble.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-17