Controversial Mayo data centre project opposed by author Sally Rooney stalled
This follows a third party appeal lodged with An Bord Pleanala against Mayo County Council's decision to grant planning permission last month to Mayo Data Hub Ltd for a data centre at Mullafarry and Tawnaghmore Upper, Killala.
One of the objectors to the data centre, Colin Doyle from Station Rd, Ennis, Co Clare has lodged the third party appeal.
The data centre for a site located 1.8km to the south of Killala and 10.5km to the north of Ballina will require 50MW average electrical power to operate.
A planning report lodged with the application by John Spain Associates states that proposed development 'will attract complementary technology-based companies within the ICT sector and complementary industries to the west of Ireland which will provide for higher paying jobs and activate the local economy'.
The Spain planning report also states that the electricity grid in the west of Ireland is currently unconstrained with sufficient capacity to accommodate the required connection for the data centre.
The report states that the project 'was in fact situated in this part of Ireland after consultation with Eirgrid because this location is outside grid constrained areas and in a region with a surplus of renewable power'.
In his original objection with the Council, Doyle stated that his main concern was indirect greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) generated by the data centre and the resulting impact on climate.
In her own objection to the centre, Sally Rooney told the Council that 'I urge you in the strongest possible terms to refuse planning permission for this wasteful, unnecessary and environmentally toxic proposal'.
Rooney said that she was making this submission 'as a resident of County Mayo and a concerned citizen.'
The Normal People and Intermezzo author said: 'Climate change represents an immediate and unprecedented threat to our way of life here in Mayo and to the future of human life around the world'.
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She said: 'Unless we act now to stop runaway overheating, children born today are likely to witness a catastrophic breakdown of global civilisation.'
Rooney said that in 2023, 'private corporate data centres accounted for 21% of Ireland's total electricity usage – more than all urban households combined'.
Rooney said: 'The truth is that these data centres exist largely to support online advertising. Some estimates suggest that online ads account for 50% of internet data usage; others put the figure between 60% and 80%.
She added: 'Whatever the specific figure, online advertising is extremely energy-intensive and is increasing in scale all the time, requiring more data centres, more energy, and more fossil fuels.
Rooney said: 'Advertising, needless to say, is pointless. It adds no value to the real economy. It does not improve the overall quality of life for anyone. It is an utter waste of resources. At the best of times, this seems a shame; at a time of urgent global crisis, it is a catastrophe.'
Rooney argued that 'wasteful consumption of electricity is a disaster. Not only does it drive energy prices upward for ordinary consumers; it also increases the total demand for energy and thus the total demand for fossil fuels'
Rooney said that as the applicants have conceded that the project will result in the emission of more carbon dioxide' into our already overheated atmosphere'.
She said: 'This additional atmospheric carbon will contribute to climate change not only here in County Mayo, but everywhere on the earth, as part of the catastrophic planetary crisis that is global warming.'
Rooney further contended that 'Carbon credits' and 'offsetting programmes' deployed by operators of data centres 'act only as a smokescreen for corporations that want to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere for profit'.
She said: 'These gases have already been responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people, and in the coming years we can be confident they will claim the lives of thousands more. No complicated EU policy instrument can wave that fact away.'
In her six-page submission, Rooney further stated that 'Not only would this proposed data centre represent a wasteful use of precious and limited electricity; it could also endanger that vital resource for other users, including hospitals and homes.'
A decision is due on the appeal in September.
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