Google has been refused planning permission for a large data centre in Dublin.

The tech giant wants to build a 72,000 square metre storage facility in Grange Castle Business Park near Clondalkin.  

However, South Dublin County Council has rejected its application, citing concerns about the electricity network.

Google now has the option of appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanála. 

People Before Profit TD Brid Smith, who has campaigned against new data centres for years, is delighted with the development.

“That particular area suffers hugely from the amount of data centres,” she said. 

“It’s not just the amount of electricity they consume, they also consume a vast amount of water. 

“A small data centre would use about half a million litres of water each day and we cannot afford that sort of waste.” 

Brid Smith speaking to the media outside Leinster House. Picture by: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Deputy Smith said she is not against all data centres but believes the country is building far too many of them. 

“We absolutely need data centres - we wouldn’t be on this call if we didn’t have them,” she said. 

“But the proliferation of them is very, very worrying and there’s no explanation for the need for such a proliferation of data centres.”

Data centres now account for around one fifth of Ireland’s electricity usage.

Main image: Google logo in Dublin. Picture by: Cezary Kowalski/SOPA Images/Sipa USA.