Microsoft announces further investment in Dublin data centre

Microsoft is to invest $130m (€97m) in the expansion of its data centre in west Dublin, it has been confirmed.

The centre, to be located alongside an existing facility at Grange Castle in west Dublin, will create 400 construction jobs and between 50 and 70 positions following construction.

The investment builds on the original $500m (€375m) investment Microsoft has already made in the Dublin data centre, which has been operational since July 2009, providing computing capacity to customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"This investment shows where we are placing our bets for the future," said Microsoft CFO Peter Klein in Dublin.

"As customers embrace Microsoft cloud services such as Office 365, Windows Live, Xbox Live, Bing and the Windows Azure platform, we are investing in regional cloud infrastructure to meet their needs.

"Our expanded facility will be 50% percent more efficient than traditional data centres, and will use renewable wind energy when available," he added, thanking the Government and the IDA for their support.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the announcement meant that the Government's strategy to position Ireland as a location of choice for data centres was "coming to fruition".

"We very much recognise the role that cloud computing can play in transforming our public sector as well as being a catalyst for economic growth," Mr Kenny said.

The announcement was also welcomed by Jobs Minister Richard Bruton, who said it proved that the Government was "on the right track".

The expansion announced today will raise to 415,000 square feet the total computing space at the Dublin facility, and a total of 29.4 megawatts power.

The centre will have a strong focus on sustainability, Microsoft said, adding that one factor of its design is an extensive use of outside air to cool the facility year-round.

Operating in Ireland since 1985, Microsoft employs 1,100 people here in its EMEA Operations Centre, the European Development Centre, Dublin Data Centre and the company’s sales and marketing group for Ireland.