Energy Minister defends data centres as vital to Irish industrial base

Energy Minister Darragh O'Brien has defended Ireland's data centres, comparing their importance to the country's economy to car manufacturing in Germany.

Speaking to *The Journal*, Minister O'Brien emphasised that the information technology (IT) sector represents Ireland's primary industrial base, filling the role that heavy industries like automotive or train manufacturing play in countries such as Germany and Spain. He noted that the data centre sector employs approximately 20,000 people and stated that he does not intend to halt its development.

These comments come alongside ongoing discussions regarding utility management. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has proposed an arrangement that would allow data centres to pay a reduced price on the condition that they accept intermittent supply cuts when demand is high. Under the proposal, data centres would continue to pay market rates for gas, with the temporary service interruptions designed to manage pressure on the national gas supply.