Delays could see Apple pull plug on €850m data centre

APPLE executives have warned the Government they are prepared to pull the plug on a massive €850m data centre project at Athenry because of continuing planning delays.

Apple unveiled plans for the huge data centre campus in February 2015 on land owned by Coillte. But nearly three years later, construction hasn’t even begun.

The proposed Athenry complex, and another new Apple data centre in Denmark, are intended to power the iPhone maker’s iTunes Store, its iMessage platform, maps and Siri function for customers across Europe.

The centre in Denmark – announced at the same time as the Irish project – is under construction and almost complete.

News agency Bloomberg reported that Government officials have been told the on-going obstacles to developing the Athenry campus in Co Galway could see the project significantly scaled back.

One of Bloomberg’s sources claimed that the scheme could even be scrapped altogether.

Such a move would be hugely damaging to Ireland’s reputation as a global data centre hotspot, and could even derail significant future foreign direct investment into the country.

Companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon and Google have invested heavily in data centre projects in Ireland.

Last November, more than 2,000 people staged a march in Athenry supporting Apple’s plans for the town. Last year An Bord Pleanála upheld a decision by Galway County Council to approve the development. But Athenry resident and engineer Allan Daly was one of three people who then asked the High Court for a judicial review of the case based on environmental grounds. The Commercial Court heard that case in March this year and reserved judgment. The outcome could be known within weeks. Bloomberg noted while the Supreme Court probably won’t block Apple’s development in its entirety, it could potentially refer it back to the planning process. Mr Daly has also objected to plans by Amazon for what could eventually be a €1bn data centre campus in Dublin. He has questioned claims by Apple and Amazon that the tech companies would be able to “buy” renewable power from a specific energy provider, when all renewable power generated is instantly despatched to the national grid.