Louth PBP representative backs €500 electricity credit plan

A Louth People Before Profit representative is calling for support for a proposed €500 electricity credit for households, funded by a levy on data centres, ahead of a Dáil vote.

This evening the Dáil will vote on a People Before Profit motion calling for data centres to pay a levy of 20 cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on the electricity they consume, and for the levy proceeds to fund €500 electricity credits for all households.

According to People Before Profit a levy on data centres of 20 cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity they consume would equalise their electricity charges with prices paid by households and would raise an estimated €1.5 billion.

They claim that a €500 electricity credit for every household and a further €500 electricity credit for households with a person(s) with a disability would cost an estimated €1.25 billion.

People Before Profit’s James Renaghan said:

“Our motion reflects growing opposition to data centres that is sweeping across the country. The policies of successive governments have resulted in Ireland having a concentration of data centres that is at least 10 times higher than the European average per head of population. The situation is now so serious that in June the UN stated that ‘Ireland offers a cautionary example of local grid stress from concentrated digital infrastructure’. What this and previous governments have done is absolutely reckless.

“People are horrified by the effects that data centres are having on consumption of our resources and their damage to our environment. Opposition to new data centres is emerging rapidly across the country, and last week’s planning decision to refuse planning for a data centre in Mayo is part of that growing opposition.

“People do not want any more data centres hoovering up our electricity, gas and water and creating environmental nuisance and damage. An immediate ban on new data centres is essential to stop the accumulation of more of this toxic waste of the 21st century.”

The Louth representative for People Before Profit claimed that data centres pay just half what households pay for electricity.

“Data centres consume a quarter of our electricity, almost as much electricity as every home in the state, yet they pay just half the €0.40 per kilowatt hour average price paid for electricity by households. It is completely unacceptable that ordinary people are effectively subsidising the wealthiest corporations on the planet.

“Our motion, to be voted on by TDs this evening, proposes an electricity consumption levy of €0.20 per kWh on data centres. This levy would mean that data centres’ pay the same electricity unit costs as those paid by households. This is the bare minimum people expect to address this gross inequality.

“Our proposed levy would raise about €1.5 billion, and our motion proposes that this is used to fund a €500 annual electricity credit for every household and an additional €500 electricity credit for households with people with disabilities. The levy would raise more than enough to fund this.

“This is the type of measure that is urgently needed to take some of the heavy cost-of-living pressures off people and I urge people to contact local TDs to call on them to vote this evening for our motion for €500 electricity credits funded by a levy on data centres ”

James Renaghan and Drogheda local representative for People Before Profit, Michael Tuohy, have also called upon local residents to sign their petition supporting An Taisce's objection to a new Data Centre being built at the former Premier Periclase site on the Baltray Road in Drogheda.

The petition can be viewed here: my.uplift.ie/petitions/support-an-taisce-s-objection-prevent-the-data-centre-on-premier-periclase-in-drogheda