Data centres don't get 'an out' on their climate commitments because of their importance to the economy, according to the Energy Minister.
It comes as Central Statistics Office figures show the electricity demand from data centres jumped 400 per cent between 2015 and 2022.
This afternoon, Eirgrid issued a system alert after forced outages at a number of generators, due to low wind and solar output.
Minister Eamon Ryan was asked whether the approval of new data centres should be slowed until the system is built up to better meet demand:
"Yes, because every sector has to live within the climate's limits. No sector gets an out. The data centres are a really important, beneficial sector for our country. We've a huge advantage in terms of the digital industries that are based here that come with it but they know, and they agree, they're on decarbonisation plans".
