South Dublin County Council (SDCC) to comply with government scrapping ban on new data centers

After much back and forth, South Dublin County Council (SDCC) is now complying with the government's order to scrap plans to ban data centers in the area, despite serious concerns about the environmental impact of additional facilities and the extra pressure the would place on the grid. This comes following Danny McLoughlin, the council’s chief executive, recommending that the council change the zoning of data centres to “open for consideration” in its draft development plan.

Those who opposed the order had argued that it undermined the democratic mandate of the council, while Madeleine Johanson, the People Before Profit councilor who had introduced the proposal to ban, called the decision "very disappointing from a democratic perspective." However, due to the council now complying with the ministerial order given in August 2022 by the Minister of State at the Department of Housing Peter Burke, the council will be unable to bring a High Court challenge against the order. 

It's important to note that while the council is now complying with the ministerial order, due to EirGrid stating that no new data centers are likely to be granted a grid connection in the area until 2028, there is an ongoing de facto moratorium.