Apple Wins Approval for $1 Billion Data Center in Ireland

Apple has won approval to build a $1 billion data center in the west of Ireland, successfully fending off an environmental legal challenge brought by local residents (via Reuters).

Ireland's High Court on Thursday ruled that the proposed data center in Galway county, planned by Apple since February 2015, could proceed despite locals' various environmental concerns for the area if Apple successfully built the facility.

athenry march
The residents against Apple attempted to halt construction last November by claiming that the permission it was granted by independent planning body An Bord Pleanála was invalid.

They alleged that An Bord Pleanála hadn't performed a proper environmental impact assessment of the proposed data center at Derrydonnell. Apple successfully asked the High Court to fast-track the case, and today's approval will likely bring the legal proceedings to an end.

When Apple announced the Irish data center in 2015, it also announced one for Denmark. That center is expected to begin operations later this year.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: data center, Ireland

Top Rated Comments

truthertech

46 months ago

Ireland's economy have had a rapid rise, and it's never been better, and it is all because of these "tax breaks" they've given to corporations. Even leftist Bono admits that.

Any honest discussion of "tax breaks" would include, but usually doesn't, an explanation that the tax funds that the government is giving a "break" on, wouldn't exist if the company in question didn't invest. For example, Apple may be given an incentive/break to build a data center in a particular country, but if Apple didn't build that factory there would be zero funds from which to give a break. I'm not arguing all incentives make sense, but unfortunately, the majority of people hear about a tax break, and assume the government is taking money out of the treasury to give to the company when that is almost never the case. Foxconn's recent investment in Wisconsin is a great example as critics are ignorantly pointing out that it is "costing" almost a hundred thousand dollars per job by the State to get the factory built when, in fact, the state is making money and creating thousands of jobs because the tax breaks are in the form of foregoing taxes that the state would never receive from Foxconn if Foxconn didn't build the factory, not from the State's general treasury of funds.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

justperry

46 months ago

Isn't this about that forest which has to be cut while if Apple build this server farm just a few hundred meters further down 'the road' it won't need to be cut, if so then:

This is a sad day.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

burgman

46 months ago

Quid pro quo, don’t touch my tax breaks. White collar at its highest level.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

joueboy

46 months ago

If it’s environmental concern then why Apple still preceded with the plan. I thought they’re all for environmental company. I guess if it suits them and make them looks good, they’re all over it. But if not then they don’t care and let the money work for them.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bladerunner2000

46 months ago

Great news for shareholders... terrible for US citizens expecting corporations to pay their fair share of taxes.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

steve23094

46 months ago

I really don't have anything to prove.

Right. So I see that you're avoiding my question, asking you to backup your statement that the increase of electric cars in the Netherlands has led to an energy shortage that cannot be immediately resolved.

You see, I think I know the article you read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/electric-cars-and-the-coal-that-runs-them/2015/11/23/74869240-734b-11e5-ba14-318f8e87a2fc_story.html?utm_term=.4de0228e504f
Which doesn't say what you claim at all, it says that electric cars are not as good for the environment as consumers might think if the electricity is produced by dirty generation.

The Netherlands has had an electricity surplus: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/194335/Poyry_Report_-_Coal_fired_power_generation_in_Germany.pdf

Depending on market conditions they import electricity if it's cheaper to do so https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_the_Netherlands

I'm willing to back up my post with sources. I could be wrong but without you willing to back up yours I'm going to assume you're full of it.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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