Amazon has been granted planning permission for the construction of three new data centers in west Dublin, expanding its existing campus at Cruiserath Road in Mulhuddart. This development will bring the total number of data centers at the site to six. Despite challenges from environmental groups, Fingal County Council has approved the project.
Oisin Coughlan, a representative from Friends of the Earth, expressed concern that this decision might lead to an appeal to An Bord Pleanala. He highlighted the contradiction between the government’s push for energy conservation, such as retrofitting homes and promoting public transport, and the influx of tech giants setting up energy-intensive data centers in the region.
Recent statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reveal that data centers increased their electricity consumption by more than 30% last year compared to 2022. This news raises questions about the balance between attracting tech companies and addressing environmental sustainability concerns in Ireland.