Written answer
Data Centres
The Government will assess future data-centre capacity through its Large Energy-User Action Plan; Uisce Éireann says they use under 0.3% of public water supply.
28. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will commission a report into the number of data centres that the Irish energy grid and water networks can handle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65430/26]
Comment on this
EirGrid, as transmission system operator, is responsible for the operation and planning of the electricity transmission system. EirGrid balance supply and demand continually while also planning for Ireland’s long-term electricity needs.
Ireland has attracted some of the best data centre and tech companies in the world. When considering their impact, we must also weigh wider economic benefits including tax revenues, employment, broader digital infrastructure value and significant support and linkages provided to other high value sectors of the economy. The Government acknowledges the need to balance the opportunities and challenges being faced and continues to work with the sector towards a secure and decarbonised energy future.
The Large Energy-User Action Plan (LEAP), published in January 2026, sets out the Government’s approach to planning for sustainable new energy intensive industrial developments. It prepares for a plan-led approach to the location of very large energy user (LEU) sectors, especially in the period beyond 2030, aligned with other strategic Government priorities, such as provision of housing, transport and water.
Through LEAP, a range of LEU development scenarios including spatial considerations will be assessed to inform policy choices going forward and to support a more integrated approach to a plan-led energy system across the System Operators, the regulator and Government.
Water usage management and conservation across commercial and industrial (non-domestic) sectors, including data centres, is an operational matter under the remit of Uisce Éireann. Uisce Éireann have advised that overall, data centres are not a major driver of demand on the public water supply network. It is my understanding that they account for, on average, less than 0.3% of the water supplied by Uisce Eireann.