Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
288. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he was made aware of the volume of grid connection capacity sought by data centres that have planning permission but no grid connection. [73596/25]
View answerQuestions regarding the planning process are matters more appropriately directed in the first instance to the relevant Local Authority. Operational matters regarding the grid should be directed to the system operators, Eirgrid and ESB Networks. These matters are not ones in which I, as Minister, have a function. As such the Deputy may wish to engage with these organisations directly. ESB and EirGrid may be contacted via email at oireachtas@esb.ie and oireachtas@eirgrid.ie.
However, my Department is in regular engagement with the system operators and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities working to address challenges around facilitating data centre connections. The Government is aware of the challenges of finding a balanced approach to facilitating additional demand by data centres while also ensuring the competitiveness, sustainability and security of supply of our energy system.
The Programme for Government commits to addressing these challenges by scaling up investment in critical infrastructure and in our electricity grid and committing to allow data centres that contribute both to economic growth and efficient grid usage, by enhancing the use of renewable energy, energy efficient technology and energy effective solutions.
