Revenues at Amazon's data centre business here increase by 25% to €6bn in 2023

Separate accounts lodged by the Cork Airport Business Cork-based Amazon Support Services Ltd show it recorded a pre-tax loss of €12.6m as revenues increased from €261.9m to €298m. Picture: Larry Cummins

The Irish arm of Amazon Web Services's data centre business grew by €1.22bn or 25% to €6.08bn last year.

New accounts filed by Amazon Data Services Ireland (ADSI) Ltd show as revenues increased operating profits went up by 21% to €40.07m. Net interest payments of €46.99m offset by a €22.08m gain on disposal of assets resulted in a pre-tax profit of €15.16m.

ADSI recorded a post-tax loss of €10.85m after incurring a corporation tax charge of €26m. The company last year paid a dividend of €600m.

The new accounts filed by ADSI come only days after Google Ireland confirmed plans for a new data centre at Grange Castle in Dublin 22. In recent times, tech companies have raised concerns over restrictions placed on new data centres three years ago.

However, new accounts show that the Amazon Web Services business continued to expand last year as numbers employed increased by 64 from 1,634 to 1,698.

Underlining the contribution of the business to the economy, the company's staff costs last year increased by €28.57m to €216.24m including €155.17m in wages and share-based payments of €33.8m.

Aggregate pay to directors increased to €850,000 — made up of €303,000 in emoluments, bonus pay of €532,000 and €15,000 in pension contributions.

The operating profits take account of hefty combined non-cash depreciation costs, tangible assets and lease assets of €1.36bn. The accounts disclose that the spend on ‘utilities’ last year decreased €145.8m from €757.92m to €612.1m.

The directors state that the key performance indicator for the company is administrative expenses which increased to €5.73bn “in line with expectations primarily due to an increase in data centre operational expenses”.

Currently, An Bord Pleanála is adjudicating on five third-party appeals contesting Fingal County Council's green light for Amazon Web Services's plans to construct three new data centres in north Dublin.

AWS firm, Universal Developers LLC is seeking planning for the three new data centre buildings with a combined power load of 73MW for the AWS data centre campus on a 65-acre land holding at Cruiserath Road, Dublin 15.

Amazon Support Services Ltd

Separate accounts lodged by the Cork Airport Business Cork-based Amazon Support Services Ltd show it recorded a pre-tax loss of €12.6m as revenues increased from €261.9m to €298m.

The company’s principal activity is the provision of customer services, logistics and other support services to group companies. 

The unit employs more people here than ADSI and numbers employed increased from 2,076 to 2,183 as staff costs went up from €121.28m to €136.16m. Share-based payments totalled €20.32m.

Pay to directors amounted to €629,000 which included €324,000 in emoluments and €294,000 in share-based payments.