EDITORIAL: Why data centres could spell trouble for Tipperary

There is a growing push by big tech companies to locate data centres outside Dublin, which would have seriously negative implications for rural areas in Ireland if allowed.

Counties like Tipperary risk supply issues if more data centres, which consume high volumes of electricity, start popping up around the country, outside of our capital.

Data centres are among the most energy-hungry developments in the country. Moving them from Dublin does not reduce that demand; it simply relocates it.

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Tipperary’s electricity grid is far less developed than that of the capital, yet it is being asked to shoulder an enormous additional burden.

With supply of electricity not always stable in the county, allowing these centres to be built in Tipperary would surely exacerbate the problems we sometimes face when it comes to power outages.

Some data centres are said to use as much electricity as a town.

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Data centres generate enormous heat because servers run 24/7. To prevent overheating, they rely on cooling systems. Many of these systems use water to absorb and carry away heat.

Water supply would also be a concern for homes and businesses in Tipperary. Water supply in Tipperary is already unreliable in some areas, particularly during dry months, making the heavy water demands of a data centre a serious concern for local communities and farmers.

The economic gains from these data centres primarily enrich large corporations rather than rural communities, providing few long-term jobs for locals, as tech giants often bring in specialised workers from outside the area.

There is also the issue of huge data centres taking up parts of our neutral landscape in rural areas outside of Dublin.

Overall, the impact of data centres on rural areas in Ireland would be a negative one and if they must be built, sustainable energy sources should be considered to power these centres.