Court Clears Way for Major Irish Data Center

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

Summary

Works are to begin on a major data center project in the west of Ireland after final approval from the High Court.

A positive High Court ruling has cleared the way for work to start on a 1.6 billion-euro (US$1.8 billion) data center in Ennis, County Clare. 

It brings to an end almost six years of legal challenges to the controversial project by anti-data center activists and environmental groups. Justice Richard Humphreys dismissed the judicial review proceedings by opponents in his 64-page written judgement. The planned 200-megawatt (MW) project, which was granted permission in April 2024 by state planning authority An Bord Pleanala, is being developed by Art Data Centres Limited. 

Developers Happy

Joint founders of developer Art Data Centres Tom McNamara and Vincent Fogarty said: "The judgement recognises that there is a future for environmentally-sensitive data centre developments like ours, where there is responsible use of renewable energy, grid-supporting generation technology & heat-recycling for both agri-food and local heating schemes. Such responsible developments, outside the Dublin metropolitan area, have the potential to secure our economic future, providing a future market for off-shore wind developers and securing Ireland's position as a world-renowned centre of excellence in the cloud computing economy." Industrial Info is tracking 14 projects associated with the Ennis data center project, worth almost US$1.8 billion in investment. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the reports. 

The Project

The aim is to build a data center campus near Tulla, comprising six data halls covering 145 acres, or 1.3 million square feet, with a capacity of slightly more than 33 MW each. The site will have its own off-grid power substation supplied by wind, solar, and biogas projects as well as an 83-megavolt-ampere (MVA) connection to the Ennis Substation. The project will also host a vertical farm for growing crops and a connection for a heating system for the locality. The first of three phases of development, which encompasses the electrical substation, data halls 2 and 3, and associated site works, are set to go live by the end of 2028. 

Positive Industry Reaction

Representing data industry group Digital Infrastructure Ireland (DII), Chairman Maurice Mortell welcomed the judgement, and told RTE: "There is a future for data centres in Ireland with responsible use of energy, grid-supporting generation technology and heat recycling to benefit local communities. It is important that digital infrastructure has continued recognition of its strategic value to Ireland's economic development. DII  hopes this judgement will bring renewed momentum for our sector." He said that the positive decision comes at an important time for the sector, admitting: "The message had gone out around the world that this country was closed in planning, connections and approach to data centres."

Ireland's Data Center Dilemma

Data centers accounted for 22% of electricity usage in Ireland in 2024. This is up from 5% in 2015 and the projections are that data centers will need almost a third of the country's total power supply by 2030. In recent years there has been a moratorium in place against the development of new data centers in the Greater Dublin area due to increased pressure on the electricity grid. This was reviewed by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) last year, and the government is fully behind fast-tracking data center development in other parts of Ireland. In January, Industrial Info reported that the Irish government had approved a new energy plan - the Large Energy Action Plan (LEAP) - to boost investment in energy-intensive projects, including data centers, life sciences, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI). Key to the new plan will be the location of new large energy demands near renewable energy sources. For additional information, see January 27, 2026, article - Ireland Clears Way for Energy-Intensive Investment.

Key Takeaways

• Work to start on a 1.6 billion-euro (US$1.8 billion) data center in Ennis, County Clare. 
• The controversial project has cleared its final legal hurdles and will have a capacity of 200 megawatts(MW).
• Data centers accounted for 22% of electricity usage in Ireland in 2024, which is expected to jump to almost a third by 2030. 

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Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).