Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
304. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the assessments carried out on job losses in other parts of the economy due to data centre growth, for example, through higher energy bills or pressure on electricity supply for small businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40937/26]
View answerData centres play a critical role in supporting Ireland's digital economy, and Government is aware that this importance will only grow with the development of Artificial Intelligence.
Ireland’s Digital and AI strategy, Digital Ireland – Connecting our People, Securing our Future, reflects the Government’s determination to harness the full economic potential of digital and AI technologies to drive economic growth and deliver modern, efficient public services.
Analysis commissioned by my Department indicates that data centre construction and operations contribute positively to the Irish economy, accounting for approximately 20,000 jobs in 2024. This headline figure does not capture their wider economic significance. The research demonstrates that data centres in Ireland support core activities across multiple sectors, underpinning a significant proportion of Ireland’s GDP and hundreds of thousands of jobs across the broader economy.
Large energy users, including data centres, have made a disproportionately large contribution to the provision of new energy infrastructure needed to deliver a secure and increasingly renewables led energy system.
For instance, large-energy-users have contributed the vast majority of costs associated with Ireland’s ‘Temporary Emergency Generation’ security of supply programme, with the data centre industry likewise making a sizeable contribution to the development of renewables through Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs).
An example of this was the energisation of a new 126 MW onshore windfarm in April 2026, facilitated through a long-term CPPA between AWS and Bord na Mona. These CPPAs are in addition to the required payment of the PSO Levy by data centres, which is used to support further renewables development in Ireland.
Accordingly, the Government will continue to ensure that data centre development is aligned with Ireland’s economic, energy and climate objectives, in a way that supports sustainable growth and protects the interests of businesses and consumers alike.
