Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan has slammed the government for their clear choice to back data centres, over delivering the affordable homes that people desperately need.
Speaking after the Taoiseach said that Ireland would need more offshore wind farms to handle future data centres, the Dublin MEP said:
“Micheál Martin’s comments this week make it clear that the government is backing Data Centres over the delivery of homes.
“Expanding our renewable energy supply is normally to be welcomed, but to do so only to meet the demands of data centres, and not housing is utterly tone-deaf.
“Data centres are putting huge pressure on our grid, accounting for over 20% of electricity used across the state.
“The Department of energy warned in May that the pressure being put on the grid by Data centres was unsustainable, and that a choice would have to be made between delivering homes, or powering more data centres.
“It’s clear that Michéal Martin has made his choice.
“Month after month we see the government miss its own housing targets, supply continues to fall behind demand, driving many of our talented young people to emigrate, for fear of never being able to own a home here.
“Yet, the Taoiseach is keen to build up the grid, not for new homes, but for even more of these data centres.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do not have the backs of ordinary people. It’s clear that they are only interested in giving a leg up to big businesses, no matter the cost.
