Data Centres
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-22
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Rose Conway-Walsh (SF), Mayo

People need transparency because they are researching how many data centres are enough and how do we get a sustainable balance. In 2025 data centres consumed 23% of all metered electricity, which was up from a figure of just 5% ten years ago in 2015. This is more than the total metered electricity used by all urban dwellings in 2025, which accounted for just over 18%. All rural dwellings accounted for 9%. At this rate, the electricity usage of data centres will surpass the total used by all homes within a few years. I do not think this is sustainable.
The pressures these data centres are placing on grid capacity cannot be understated. I am sure the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment can recognise that where grid capacity is unavailable it jeopardises potential investment and job creation in smaller businesses. Delays in securing electricity or water connections mean investment will go elsewhere to competing economies. Businesses need places for their workers to live. If we cannot match this housing demand due to grid constraints we will lose out.
It is vital that decisions on new data centre connections take account of the electricity requirements of housing, businesses, public services and future industrial development in that area. This is why last week my colleague, Deputy Pa Daly, brought forward a Bill that does just this. It prioritises homes and businesses over these energy and water consuming data centres. More data centres mean higher energy bills for households. Earlier this afternoon Lynn Boylan, MEP, and Eve Ryan from Trinity College presented the findings of their research on how data centres impact on the cost of electricity.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-22