Plans for a major data centre in north Mayo have been thrown into doubt following a third-party appeal lodged with An Bord Pleanála, halting progress on a project that has drawn criticism from environmental advocates — including acclaimed novelist Sally Rooney.
The appeal challenges a recent decision by Mayo County Council to grant planning permission to Mayo Data Hub Ltd for a proposed data centre between Mullafarry and Tawnaghmore Upper, near Killala. The project, which would consume an average of 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity, is now on hold pending a review by the national planning authority.
The appeal was submitted by Colin Doyle, a resident of Ennis, Co Clare, who raised concerns about the centre’s indirect greenhouse gas emissions and the broader climate impact of such facilities. His opposition has been bolstered by a detailed objection from Rooney, the internationally renowned author of Normal People and Beautiful World, Where Are You.
Rooney, a native and resident of Co Mayo, urged the council to reject what she described as a “wasteful, unnecessary and environmentally toxic proposal.” In a strongly worded six-page submission, she argued that data centres like the one planned for Killala are major contributors to climate change, noting that such facilities accounted for over one-fifth of Ireland’s total electricity usage in 2023.
“The truth is that these data centres exist largely to support online advertising,” Rooney wrote. “Advertising is pointless… it is an utter waste of resources. At a time of urgent global crisis, it is a catastrophe.”
Rooney further warned that the energy demands of the project could put pressure on the national grid and risk limiting supply for essential services such as hospitals and homes. She also criticised the use of carbon offset schemes by data centre operators, calling them a “smokescreen” that allows companies to pollute for profit.
In contrast, the developers argue that the project would boost the local economy by attracting technology firms to the west of Ireland. Planning documents submitted by John Spain Associates claimed the site was chosen in consultation with EirGrid due to its location outside grid-constrained areas and its proximity to renewable energy sources.
An Bord Pleanála is now expected to conduct a comprehensive review before reaching a final decision, with the appeal highlighting the growing tensions between economic development and environmental sustainability in rural Ireland.
