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ARTICLE · 03 MARCH 2026

Ireland's Policy Pivot On Data Centre Delivery

William Fry LLP
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The Government's January announcement of its Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP) represents a step change in Ireland's approach to data centre delivery...

IrelandEnergy and Natural Resources
Liam McCabe
Liam McCabe
Fergus Devine
Fergus Devine
Colm Booth
Colm Booth
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The Government's January announcement of its Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP) represents a step change in Ireland's approach to data centre delivery, setting out an ambitious plan-led approach for the future development of these unique LEUs.

The sudden emergence and rapid rollout of data centres in Ireland have outstripped any centralised policy approach for this essential class of energy users, with Ireland's data centre regime to date driven by developer demands.

This market-centric approach has resulted in an acute misalignment with vital policies, investment priorities and supporting infrastructure. In the midst of ever-increasing power demands from the industry, the Government has sought to address the resultant dearth of grid capacity, severe localised constraints, and ever-pressing climate and sustainability objectives through a coordinated response via LEAP (Large Energy User Action Plan).

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