APPLE QUITS €850M DATA CENTRE DEAL
economy blow as protesters scupper us firm’s plans
IRISH industry has been dealt a hammer blow after Apple formally pulled out of a €850million data centre project.
The biggest firm in the world was ready to build a huge plant in Galway.
But protesters scuppered plans with renewed appeals that mired the project in red tape since it was first announced in February 2015.
Their detailed submission of objections said Athenry was the “wrong site” due to a range of environmental factors.
It is understood the investment will now go to Denmark, where another data centre announced in 2015 is already nearing completion.
A statement from Apple said: “Despite our best efforts, delays in the approval process have forced us to make other plans and we will not be able to move forward with the data centre.
“While disappointing, this setback will not dampen our enthusiasm for future projects in
Ireland as our business continues to grow.
“We’re deeply committed to our employees and customers in Ireland and are
expanding our operations in Cork, with a new facility for our talented team there.”
Jobs Minister Heather Humphreys, said the Government did everything it could to keep the project on track. She added: “I very much regret that Apple will not be pursuing its plans to construct a data centre in Athenry, especially as the project would have been a source of significant investment and job creation for Galway and the West of Ireland” Ms Humphreys said the delays underlined the need to make the State’s planning and legal processes more efficient. She added: “The Government has been working over the last number of months to make improvements.
“This will ensure we are better placed to take advantage of future such investment opportunities, whether from data centre providers or other sectors.”
Fianna Fail’s Anne Rabbitte blamed Fine Gael for the lost opportunity.
She said: “This decision is a significant loss to the West of Ireland and sends the wrong message to potential investors across the globe.
“Ireland needs to send out a clear message to foreign direct investors that we are open for business.
“There is a 97-acre site now lying idle in Athenry – measures must be undertaken to ensure this site is put on the IDA priority list.”
AT last Tony O’brien has taken responsibility and stepped down over the cervical cancer missed diagnosis scandal.
The way in which the entire shameful crisis was handled was truly sickening.
And yesterday brought a new, disturbing chapter in the outrage which has both transfixed and infuriated Ireland for the last few weeks.
Far from finding out about this horrifying blunder through the RTE news website as he had claimed, it appears O’brien had prior knowledge of the scandal as far back as 2016, new documents showed yesterday.
As pressure continued to mount it became the final straw in the sad and destructive scandal that has been exposed by the brave women of Ireland, the first being Vicky Phelan.
Others have followed, most notably Emma Mhic Mhathuna whose radio interview yesterday morning would have touched the hardest heart.
This incredible mother spoke about a nightmare she had of dying – and die she will before her time – without saying goodbye to her children.
O’brien was left with little option but to step down such was the outrage at this shambles which is costing people their lives.
But has he got off lightly by avoiding being sacked? Probably so with a full pension and big financial package the likely prognosis.