Amazon has secured planning permission for two new data centres in north Dublin despite objections from environmental groups.
The groups are worried that the new centres will damage the environment and put further strain on energy supply. The idea has drawn criticism from the environmental groups Gluaiseacht and Not Here Not Anywhere.
It’s estimated that between 15 and 58 staff will work at the site while up to 400 will be employed during construction. The two centres are being developed on a 3.75 hectare site in Clonshaugh Business and Technology Park in North Dublin.
Amazon has been granted permission to demolish the Ricoh building in order to create its new buildings. The data centres will be two-storeys with a gross floor area of 12,875 sq m and 1,445 sq m. The larger building will have solar panels on the roof.
The proposal features includes a sprinkler tank, pumphouse, security building, MV building and the provision of two additional MV substation rooms.
In October 2021, South Dublin County councillors agreed to write a letter to government begging them to ban data centres over blackout concerns and sustainability.
Ireland has positioned itself as The Data Capital of Europe during the past 20 years, with a sizable cluster of top data-rich businesses operating there and serving the continent. These companies include Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Airbnb, many of which have made significant investments in the construction of data centres around the nation.