Irish Examiner view: Where is the public benefit to data centres?

As Ireland’s data centre boom accelerates, a more uncomfortable question is emerging: Is the juice really worth the squeeze?

Data centres now consume a staggering share of Ireland’s electricity.

Fri, 29 May, 2026 - 01:00

For years, Ireland sold itself as the perfect home for the digital economy: Politically stable, highly connected, English-speaking, and business-friendly. The result is that global technology giants arrived in force, bringing jobs, investment, and prestige. But as Ireland’s data centre boom accelerates, a more uncomfortable question is emerging: Is the juice really worth the squeeze?

Data centres now consume a staggering share of Ireland’s electricity. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities says they accounted for more than one fifth of national demand in 2024, up from just 5% a decade ago. EirGrid forecasts that figure could rise beyond 30% within the next decade. In Dublin, where the grid is already under severe pressure, the situation is even more acute. Ordinary households are entitled to ask what exactly they are getting in return.