Kildare data centre plans 'are causing huge unease'

There is “huge unease” around data centres.

But, local councillor Carmel Kelly also said that a State-led approach is in the process of being put in place.

Cllr Kelly was among a number of politicians expressing concern about the centres at a Kildare County Council meeting.

Seven councillors - mainly from the Labour Party - want Kildare County Council to write to the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

They are seeking the introduction of a “national moratorium on new data centre development.”

They say this should be until a public consultation process has been undertaken and national planning guidelines for data centres have been prepared and published.

The group which includes Independent Ireland councillor Bill Clear and Sinn Féin’s Noel Connolly say the guidelines should include proximity to and impacts on existing and future housing, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.”

The motion said the guidelines should also cover the cumulative impacts arising from proximity to existing data centres and the availability and capacity of water services.

They also say the guidelines should embrace the use of air-cooling technologies where appropriate; opportunities for district heating and waste heat recovery and electricity demand at full operational capacity.

They should also cover demand management requirements at peak periods and ramifications for local, regional and national grid infrastructure.

The guidelines should also cover zoning requirements and the appropriateness of locations for data centre development, “having regard to size, scale, visual impact and screening, community gain and social value” as well as carbon emissions, climate performance, biodiversity impacts and renewable energy provision.

Cllr Connolly said that 108 centres have been built, nine are under construction and 38 have planning approval. This means Ireland has one of the highest concentrations of these centres in the world.

He said a national policy is preferable to having Kildare County Council to “do it on a piecemeal basis.”

He said he was not against technology or investment but “people deserve to have a voice" and “we need to pause and plan for the future of data centres.

Labour Party councillor Anne Breen referred to electricity demand of the centres and said more and more families are being pushed into fuel poverty.

She said all political parties should bring the issue to the Dáil "because that’s where decisions are made.”

Social Democrats' Chris Pender also agreed with a moratorium and the council agreed that the ministers should be written to.