THE IRISH GOVERNMENT is prioritising the growth of data centres in Ireland, Taoiseach Micheál Martin told a room of high-powered business leaders in Washington DC this week. 

He attended an Amazon Partnership event in the DuPont Circle Hotel this week, which highlighted Irish companies that have been involved in the tech giant’s data centre rollout.

The event, which was attended by the US ambassador to Ireland Edward Walsh, was focused on the economic relationship between the two nations and the promotion of Ireland as great place to do business. 

Speaking to the packed out room, Martin said:

We recognise that data centres are a critical foundation of our digital economy and that is why we prioritise this particular sector, its growth, its innovation and its sustainability.

“Ireland is home to over 80 data centre operations and we’ve developed world-class suppliers to support centres beyond Ireland.

“Overall this sector comprises over 180 companies across design, build, commissioning and maintenance, and employs more over 35,000 people in Ireland,” Martin said.

Companies like Amazon leverage the expertise, the innovation and determination of Irish companies, and this partnership has enabled the scaling of operations globally, he added.  

Taoiseach speaks about high number of data centres

Ireland has become known as the data centre capital of the world with 89 data centres.

Earlier this year, Cabinet signed-off on a major plan to build more data centres across the country.

The ‘Large Energy User Action Plan’ (Leap) sets out details on growing the sector over the next five years. 

Leap aims to attract investment in “energy-intensive sectors” including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and data centres to Ireland.

The Journal Investigates has reported that data centre generators run on fossil fuels and  have released huge quantities of CO2 over the past few years. 

Speaking about this challenge, the Taoiseach said he visited a research centre in UCC which was focusing on reducing the energy intensity around data centres and the AI economy “that’s coming our way”.

Calling it “very, very exciting”, Martin said the focus is on finding a breakthrough to dealing with the “big challenge” of the power data centres use. 

He said researchers are trying to solve that issue in terms of the intensity of energy use, how to reduce it and “make it all more efficient and more effective”. 

While the government moves to ramp up data centre rollout and pitch Ireland as a prime location to big companies such as Amazon, opposition members have hit out at the government’s plans. 

Green Party Leader, Roderic O’Gorman has said over 20% of the electricity consumed in Ireland is eaten up by data centres.

“This is completely out of line with other countries around the World. The next nearest is Singapore, where data centres use 7% of electricity.

“We need to have an honest conversation in Ireland about the trade-offs we face, each time a new data centre is added. New houses that won’t be connected to the grid, electrification of public transport put at risk, and higher prices for householders,” he said. 

The comments about boosting data centres in Ireland come as the Taoiseach led a charm-offensive this week as part of the government’s St Patrick’s Day programme. 

While in the past, issues such as the undocumented Irish, Brexit, and Gaza have been key talking points on the St Patrick’s Day week, this year, the Taoiseach kept hammering his points about Irish investment in the US and how the relationship is a two-way street.

Trump wants us to buy liquified natural gas

US President Donald Trump appears to want to tap into that two-way street relationship, stating that Ireland will have to buy American liquified natural gas. 

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Taoiseach Micheál Martin with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“I’m hopeful that we’ll soon reach a deal to sell American liquefied natural gas – and that’ll bring down your deficit a lot – so I think you have to make this deal with us, you better do something.

“But these companies are going to be fuelling your homes and factories and all of the other things.

“We got a lot of, we have a lot of energy in this country. We have more than anybody, most energy of any country in the world, by far.

“So we want to sell a little to you, and the deficit will come down, down, down, and everybody’s going to be happy.

So you gotta buy a lot of our stuff.

Commenting on Trump’s remarks, O’Gorman said that at a time when LNG prices are shooting up to levels we haven’t seen since the start of the Ukraine war, it would be an catastrophic mistake for Ireland to start importing more expensive LNG from the United States.

“We need to be providing energy security for Ireland, and that means decarbonising our economy, moving away from dirty, expensive fossil fuels, and seriously investing in renewables like offshore wind and solar power.

“That’s the way we keep people’s bills low, give us energy independence and meet our climate obligations,” he said. 

Speaking at the Friends of Ireland Luncheon for St Patrick’s Day at the US Capitol Building, Trump said: “We have a tremendous deficit, by the way. I looked at the numbers.”

Trump also referenced Ireland trade in positive terms, stating that he wants to expand the “tremendous” Irish American trading relationship.

“Probably they want to talk a little bit about tariffs, but I won’t mention that. You might want to be discussing that a little bit,” the president added.