Concern as Apple fails to commit to €850m data centre
They took on board everything we said
THE future of Apple’s €850million data centre in Galway was last night looking bleak after Leo Varadkar confirmed that Apple boss Tim Cook did not give him a commitment that the project would go ahead.
The potential loss of the centre is a serious blow for the Government and comes after it was stalled by years of legal proceedings.
Speaking in San Francisco yesterday, Mr Varadkar said he told Mr Cook that there were people out in the streets protesting in favour of it, and that the project was a very important one for the Government.
But despite this, he received no assurances that it would go ahead, despite the fact the High Court this week cleared the way for it to be built.
He said: ‘We didn’t get a start date, or a definite commitment or anything like that but certainly from our point of view we really impressed on them very strongly how much the Government is behind the project, how we will do anything within our power to facilitate it and how the people of Galway and Athenry, in particular, really want it to happen.’
He added: ‘I understand of course that the delays that occurred through planning and through the courts were not under Apple’s control.
‘I explained that it was a project that has enormous support in the area.
‘I told him about the fact that there were people protesting on the streets in favour of this investment, how unusual that was, how important that was and also how it was a particularly investment for us because we want to see more big private sector investments west of the Shannon,’ the Taoiseach said.
‘So they definitely took on board everything that we said and they said they continue to consider it as part of their business plans into the future.’
Apple first announced plans to build the multi-million euro data centre in Athenry, Co. Galway, two years ago, but have been mired in planning objections from a small number of people ever since.
More than 2,000 local people attended a rally in support of the centre last year, half the population of 4,000-strong Athenry.
Last night, Paul Keane of the Athenry for Apple campaign group, who support development of the centre, said he was still hopeful it would go ahead, but added that the Government must review planning laws.
He said: ‘If you consider it without a knee jerk negative reaction then what they’ve said is that they’re still considering Athenry, and that’s good.
‘We’re very happy that Apple are still committed to Athenry, we’re happy that they considered Athenry in the first place.
‘We’re only unhappy that the planning process has damaged our international reputation in the process.
‘Cracks are clearly showing now in the planning process and the government have to act.’
Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East Anne Rabbitte has said Mr Cook’s refusal to confirm the future of the centre shows the need to update planning laws. She published a bill to fast-track the planning process for large scale IT infrastructural projects, such as data centres, last month.
Ms Rabbitte said: ‘The mounting uncertainty is deeply disappointing for the people of Athenry. We need to ensure this type of situation is avoided in the future.
‘The bill I brought in last month seeks to change the strategic planning process to allow data centres and other large-scale IT infrastructure projects to access a fast-tracked planning process. The long-running saga to get planning approval for the €850million Apple data centre in Athenry is very concerning.
‘The people of Athenry, Galway and beyond have come out in force firmly behind this project.
‘This is a fantastic project, which will be fully powered by renewable energy and provide 300 jobs in construction and at least a hundred full-time jobs when the facility becomes operational.’
She added: ‘Planning laws must not deter potential investors from Irish shores.’
THE Taoiseach admitted yesterday, after meeting Apple CEO Tim Cook in California, that the company had given no firm commitment to build its new €850million data centre in Athenry, Co. Galway.
At a time when the West of Ireland is crying out for such investment, it beggars belief that a small number of objectors might have scuppered the plan. Court challenges to planning permission have seen Apple’s appetite to commit weaken, so we welcome Mr Varadkar’s plan to add data centres to the list of key infrastructure, such as motorways and hospitals, that will be fast-tracked for planning in future.
The country’s economic progress cannot and must not be derailed by NIMBYs.