People Before Profit Councillor Madeleine Johansson has voiced her serious concerns regarding the recent planning permission request for yet another data centre in the Grange Castle area of Dublin. This proposed development, submitted by CyrusOne in July, includes plans for an onsite power plant, adding to the existing data centre infrastructure in the region. CyrusOne already operates a data centre in Grange Castle and there are over 35 data centres in South Dublin County already.
“I am deeply concerned about the continued expansion of data centres in Grange Castle,” said Councillor Johansson. “While technological advancements are essential for our society, we must balance this progress with the potential environmental and infrastructural consequences. The current proposal by CyrusOne, with its additional onsite power plant, raises significant alarms about the impact on carbon emissions.”
CyrusOne’s previous data centre in Grange Castle already places demands on the local energy grid. Adding more centres to the equation could exacerbate the pressure on the power supply, potentially leading to disruptions for local residents and businesses alike. Moreover, the cumulative effect of multiple data centres in the area could push Ireland’s carbon emissions higher, undermining the country’s commitments to reducing its carbon footprint. Recently, data centres have been refused planning permission due to the strain on the grid.
Councillor Johansson emphasized, “We need to carefully assess the sustainability and environmental implications of every new development. Our responsibility is to safeguard the well-being of our community and the future of our planet, not to ensure the profits of big corporations. We must seriously consider the implications of such energy-intensive projects on Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy.”
Councillor Johansson and People Before Profit call on the local authorities to thoroughly examine the potential consequences of granting planning permission for this data centre expansion. Councillor Johansson concludes, “I proposed a ban on new data centres in 20222 but the decision was overturned by the government. Now there is a de-facto moratorium due to capacity issues on the grid. We need strong political action to stop the data centre madness in Dublin.”
