Irish Government approves Large Energy Action Plan (LEAP)
Minister Peter Burke & Minister Darragh O'Brien announcing the approved LEAP action plan
The Irish Government has approved a new strategy aimed at supporting the expansion of energy-intensive developments in Ireland, including data centres, semiconductors and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Known as the Large Energy Action Plan (LEAP), the initiative is intended to remove barriers to investment by large energy users and provide a clearer framework for future growth over the next five years.
The plan sets out 17 actions designed to facilitate development following the recent easing of an effective moratorium on new data-centre grid connections. That restriction had been in place since late 2021 while the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) reviewed policy on large energy demand. Last month, the CRU confirmed that new data centres may proceed where at least 80 per cent of their annual electricity needs are met through new renewable generation, with a six-year transition period to bring those renewables online.
Data centres accounted for 22 per cent of Ireland’s electricity consumption in 2024, up from 5 per cent in 2015, and demand is forecast to approach one-third of national usage by 2030. Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said LEAP will help regions across the country attract next-generation strategic industry, supporting long-term economic development and employment. He noted that data centres employ around 21,000 people directly and underpin an estimated 180,000 tech jobs.
A central pillar of the strategy is encouraging new large energy users to locate close to renewable sources. This includes the development of “green energy parks”, where facilities such as data centres are co-located with generation assets like offshore wind, reducing pressure on the national grid. The focus is on regional locations with available capacity, while further development on the east coast will depend on additional energy coming on stream.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien said the plan aligns industrial growth with Ireland’s green transition and will accelerate renewable energy delivery. While industry groups broadly welcomed the clarity provided by LEAP, environmental organisations warned it could prioritise data-centre expansion over household needs and climate commitments, calling for safeguards to ensure the public does not bear the cost of new infrastructure.
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