Nearly 90% of Dublin data centres are in economically deprived areas

Nearly 90% of Dublin’s data centres are located in economically-deprived areas, described as "a defining feature of how Ireland’s digital infrastructure has developed".

The centres have “drained” €715m from the Irish economy and increased household bills by a cumulative average of €360 between 2015 and 2023, said another report commissioned by Friends of the Earth Ireland and Beyond Fossil Fuels.

Now, research from independent think-tank TASC, found that rather than being evenly distributed across the city or concentrated in already-affluent business districts, data centres are overwhelmingly clustered in communities that already face structural economic disadvantage. 

Ireland, and Dublin in particular, has become one of Europe’s leading data centre hubs, hosting an estimated 127 active or planned data centre buildings and campuses. 

The number of data centres in Ireland per capita is 10 times higher than the European average.

Data centres are estimated to have added €7.3 billion to the Irish economy, with further growth expected as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence continues to expand. 

Neighbourhoods such as Blanchardstown-Corduff and Blanchardstown-Tyrrelstown are classified as disadvantaged and experience higher levels of unemployment and lower levels of educational attainment than both the Dublin average and nearby areas like Fingal.

The research suggests that economically-deprived areas offer affordable land, making them attractive for large-scale, land-intensive developments.

Data centres generate relatively few permanent jobs despite their enormous physical footprint, they are highly automated environments, typically employing only a few dozen staff. 

While many of these roles require specialised technical skills or advanced education, limiting their accessibility to residents in disadvantaged areas.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) recently proposed an arrangement that would let data centres pay a reduced price for electric on the condition that they accept their supply may be cut intermittently when demand is high.