I’ll keep fighting despite Apple exit
Environmentalist says move won’t stop campaign
ONE of the main movers in the battle against the proposed Apple data centre in Co. Galway has said his environmental and planning objections for the forested site remain – despite Apple’s decision to scrap the centre.
Yesterday, the tech giant announced it has abandoned plans for a €850million data centre in Athenry, blaming delays in the Irish planning process which have stalled the project for three years.
Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail, environmental engineer Allan Daly said that he objected because Ireland’s planning and environmental laws must be adhered to and that Apple was a secondary issue. He said he still wants to preserve the 500-acre Coillte forest, which Apple was going to clear to build its data centre. Last week, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear the appeal to An Bord Pleanála’s green light for the project. The court will decide later on whether to proceed with the hearing regardless of Apple’s decision.
‘Environment laws must be maintained’
Supporters of the data centre described it as a ‘hammer blow’, while Minister Heather Humphreys pledged to streamline the planning process for similar projects in the future.
In a statement, Apple said: ‘Several years ago, we applied to build a data centre at Athenry.
‘Despite our best efforts, delays in the approval process have forced us to make other plans. While disappointing, this setback will not dampen our enthusiasm for future projects in Ireland as our business continues to grow.’
However, objectors, Mr Daly and Sinéad Fitzpatrick have said, through their counsel, that the appeal raised important legal issues relevant to similar projects which should be decided.
The data centre, to be built by clearing woodlands at Derrydonnell, about five kilometres from Athenry, was hailed as the largest ever multinational investment in the west of Ireland.
‘I think this project should not have been approved. It was a dreadful planning decision with regards to the location, primarily,’ said Mr Daly, who is originally from the US.
Mr Daly also expressed doubts about the purported economic benefits the data centre might have for the community.
‘I think you need to have a realistic view of the economic benefits and the costs to the State. When you weigh those the way I’ve weighed them, the costs outweigh the benefits. That is why we brought the challenge,’ said Mr Daly. The Athenry project was expected to bring 300 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs to the area.
The appeal turned on whether An Bord Pleanála was required by law to take into consideration the potential expansion of the data centre project.
THAT Denmark has the ability, not only to grant the planning permission, but to actually build two Apple data centres in the time that it has taken our authorities to decide to deny planning for one such centre is very concerning.
We have had, of course, a peculiar relationship with the planning laws in this country with myriad instances over the years indicating that it was a process that, historically, was wide open to abuse. It is also a process that has traditionally dragged its heels when it comes to decision making.
Now Apple has abandoned its plans for the proposed centre in Athenry, citing the delays in planning over a three-year period as the reason for pulling out of the project. A project that would have provided some much-needed jobs for this part of Galway and would have created a state-of-the-art data centre.
There were a number of people prominent in their objections to the granting of the Apple planning approval. That is their democratic right and it is to be welcomed that citizens take notice and care about what affects their environment and their community.
On all kinds of planning issues there can be many genuine concerns, concerns that are due proper consideration and investigation before planning is either granted or denied. That is entirely as things should be.
The problem, therefore, does not lie with objectors per se. Rather it lies with a system that is structured in a way that allows for the process to be dragged on and on, not for a matter of a few months, but, as with the Apple project, for years.
That an €850million project should have the plug pulled because the company in question can no longer afford to wait around at the pleasure of our planning authorities is simply not acceptable.
This is not about specific approval or denial, this is about the need for a streamlined system that operates swiftly and efficiently and, crucially, reaches a decision within an acceptable timeframe.