People Before Profit TD proposes ban on new data centres

Bríd Smith, People Before Profit TD for Dublin South-Central, has proposed a ban on new data centres being built in Ireland.

The TD has launched a new law which would ban data centres in the planning process as well as implementing a complete ban on any future attempt to build LNG terminals in Ireland.

The bill moved to second stage in the Dáil this week.

Deputy Smith said, “both measures are essential if we are serious about the climate crisis.”

Smith claimed Big Tech had launched a “serious disinformation campaign to greenwash what they did and how they do it.”

“The pretence is that we can simply allow this sector to proliferate regardless of the energy or water resources they consume. This will lead us to disaster – not just in the short term with energy demand and possible power cuts but in the longer term as they are primarily about facilitating the global Big Tech sector as it tries to monetise and commodify every interaction we have.”

“We simply do not know what proportion of what they do is socially useful or needed, but we do know that much of what they do has nothing to do with consumer demand or socially useful communication- its business, its selling stuff, it’s about getting us to consume more,” she added.

Data centres have come under fire in recent years from consumers and politicians, stating that they use a disproportionate amount of energy, with data published in June showing that data centres use nearly a fifth of all energy consumed in Ireland.

The issue surrounding LNG terminals is more complex, with the Green Party launching a bill in February 2022 to “keep Ireland LNG free,” but the argument has come into sharper focus amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the high energy prices that ensued.

Earlier this year, party leader Eamon Ryan said that the Green Party “may need to concede” on the LNG issue, which has reportedly caused unease and concern among party activists and members.

Smith attacked the Green Party leader for his defence of the sector, saying “recent statements from him are not just disgraceful coming from someone supposed to be dealing with the climate crisis but they actually damage the climate movement and attempt to give Big Tech and business a free pass.”

“You can’t lecture ordinary people about behavioural change while telling Big Tech go ahead, whatever you want is good.”