Money · rates and tax
What tax do data centres pay in Ireland?
Data centres pay commercial rates like any business: about €72.6m a year on 66 properties, our estimate from the Tailte Éireann valuation list and 2026 council rates (Oct 2026). KPMG puts their employment-related tax at about €280m in 2024. No public figure exists for corporation tax on data-centre operations.
Updated 3 October 2026 · data build 2026-10-10 · how we know · corrections
What they pay councils
Estimated rates by council, €m a year
Where the operator is named, €m a year
52 properties don't name the occupier. Rates are estimates (net annual value × each council's 2026 rate), not bills; valuation dates differ by council, and Cork isn't on the comparable list yet.
Tailte Éireann valuation list (CC-BY-4.0) · 2026 rates on valuation · as of 2026-10-03
Rates per megawatt drawn (estimate)
| Council | Campuses | MW drawn | Rates | € per MW | MWh per € | × warehouse | × office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dublin | 5 | 322 | €27.1m | €84k | 0.1 | 16.5× | 7.3× |
| Fingal | 4 | 162 | €6.1m | €37k | 0.24 | 8× | 3.5× |
| Meath | 2 | 148 | €10.2m | €69k | 0.13 | 44.6× | 11.7× |
| Dublin City | 1 | 144 | €6.6m | €46k | 0.19 | 4.9× | 0.8× |
Campus by campus
| Campus | Council | MW drawn | Rates | € per MW | €/m² NAV | × warehouse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon (AWS) Blanchardstown | Fingal | 49.8 | €691k | €14k | 195 | 2.9× |
| Amazon (AWS) Drogheda | Meath | 12.7 | €265k | €21k | 650 | 31× |
| Amazon (AWS) Cruiserath | Fingal | 76.6 | €1.9m | €25k | 662 | 10× |
| Equinix Blanchardstown | Fingal | 18.5 | €511k | €28k | 685 | 10.4× |
| Amazon (AWS) Clonshaugh | Dublin City | 144.4 | €6.6m | €46k | 187 | 4.9× |
| Amazon (AWS) Grange Castle South | South Dublin | 61 | €3m | €48k | 655 | 16.4× |
| Amazon (AWS) Belgard, Tallaght | South Dublin | 45.6 | €2.4m | €52k | 649 | 16.2× |
| Meta Clonee | Meath | 135 | €9.9m | €74k | 947 | 45.1× |
| Microsoft Grange Castle | South Dublin | 154.5 | €12.4m | €80k | 660 | 16.5× |
| Amazon (AWS) Greenhills Road, Tallaght | South Dublin | 34.6 | €3.8m | €110k | 670 | 16.7× |
| K2 Strategic Ballycoolin | Fingal | 17.5 | €2.9m | €167k | 676 | 10.2× |
| Google Grange Castle South | South Dublin | 26 | €5.6m | €217k | 661 | 16.5× |
Estimates. MW is the 2025 average grid draw in EPA annual environmental reports (licensed sites only); rates are net annual value × the council's 2026 rate, not bills. "× warehouse" compares the campus's rated floor area with what the same area would pay at the council's median value per m² for large warehouse/industrial floors (× office: office floors), same list and valuation date. A data centre's value can include rateable electrical and cooling plant, which a shed lacks. Rates per MW for other industry can't be computed: the valuation list holds no power data.
Who says what
| Side | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Industry / Government | €14.6bn employment taxes in 'dependent sectors' (28%) | KPMG for DETE (Jun 2026) |
| Industry / Government | €2.8bn employment-related tax 2010-2024; €280m in 2024 | KPMG for DETE (Jun 2026) |
| Industry / Government | €33bn corporation tax at risk if IP follows data centres abroad | Digital Infrastructure Ireland via Irish Times (27 May 2026) |
| Critics / researchers | No data-centre-specific corporation-tax figure is published; ~€4bn of 2023 CT linked to ICT incl. DCs | Oireachtas Library, The future of data centres in Ireland (Mar 2025) |
| Critics / researchers | CyrusOne Irish unit paid €24.6m dividend to Dutch parent (2024) | Una Mullally, Irish Times (19 Jan 2026) |
Our data: ~€73m/yr commercial rates (Tailte Éireann valuation × 2026 ARV; estimate).