Taoiseach rejects 'housing vs data centres' energy claim by senior civil servant 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin speaking to media on the opening day of the annual Bord Bia Bloom festival at the Phoenix Park in Dublin. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA

The Taoiseach has rejected claims from a senior civil servant that Ireland faces a choice between providing energy for data centres or housing.

Oonagh Buckley, secretary general at the Department of Environment, Climate and Energy, told an event on Wednesday that data centres had used up the spare capacity in the energy grid, which would require policymakers to make stark choices.