Developer of €1.5bn data centre campus says connection delays putting project at risk

Planned data centre has previously been stalled by High Court judicial review

A graphic rendering of the €1.2bn data centre proposed in Co Clare.

The operator of a planned €1.5bn data campus for Ennis has claimed that the project is being put at risk due to "bureaucratic inertia”.

An Bord Pleanala granted planning permission to Art Data Centres Ltd for the scheme in April 2024 comprising six data halls covering 145 acres or 1.3m sq ft on lands adjacent to Tulla Road on the eastern outskirts of Ennis near Junction 13 on the M18 motorway connecting Galway to Limerick.

The planned data centre has been stalled by a High Court judicial review challenge by opponents of the data centre. However, last month the High Court ruled an issue concerning a Leisler bat is not sufficient to halt contentious plans for the new 200MW data centre campus.

The High Court action does remain before the High Court with an issue concerning a derogation licence still to be decided upon.

On Friday, Art Data Centres chief executive Tom McNamara expressed “serious frustration” at what he called are “continued delays by EirGrid” in issuing a grid connection for the proposed n AI-focused data centre campus.

Art Data Centres has now written to Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke TD on foot of this week's Action Plan on Competitiveness proposal to provide policy certainty regarding data centres and plans for connecting large energy users.

Mr McNamara said: “We have a project of national importance. Almost all legal, technical, and environmental requirements are met. Yet after eight years of effort, the project is being put at risk due to bureaucratic inertia.

"I am writing to the Minister for Enterprise, Peter Burke, and relevant Cabinet colleagues to intervene urgently to ensure the project’s grid connection proceeds."

Mr McNamara said that the project has international investor backing and meets the needs concerning regional development, attracting AI investment and delivering climate-resilient infrastructure “and must be supported”.

He said: “Delay is not a neutral act — it actively damages Ireland’s international reputation," he said.

Art Data Centres has been engaging with EirGrid since 2017, first applying for connection in 2019.

A company spokesman said that despite confirmed available capacity at Ennis and extensive engagement under the Commission for Regulation of Utilities guidance, EirGrid has not progressed a connection offer.

At an Ennis Chamber of Commerce lunch last year, Taoiseach Micheál Martin publicly supported the project. “AI is coming and the demand for data will grow exponentially. We have to facilitate that. For areas outside of Dublin, which haven’t had this sort of investment, we can’t deny them that opportunity. I understand the grid capacity is there.” 

Asked to respond to Mr McNamara’s comments, a spokesman for EirGrid said that “for reasons of confidentiality EirGrid does not comment on individual customers, connection agreements or applications”.