StackPath Ireland

Pipeline · under construction, permitted, proposed

New data centres being built in Ireland

7 data-centre campuses are under construction in Ireland and 9 more are permitted or proposed (StackPath directory, Oct 2026), against 55 operating. EirGrid reported only one new data-centre grid contract under the post-2021 rules by June 2025, and a project takes a median 3 years from application to completion certificate.

Updated 10 October 2026 · data build 2026-10-10 · how we know · corrections

Figure 1

The pipeline, stage by stage

16 campuses are in the pipeline (7 under construction, 6 permitted, 3 proposed), against 55 operating; 8 more never got past refusal, withdrawal or expiry.

Irish data-centre campuses by stageUnder construction: 7 (Microsoft Huntstown, Echelon Arklow, Vantage Profile Park, Little Island, Cork (operator not identified) (1), Equinix Profile Park, Data & Power Hub Peamount, Newcastle, eir Drogheda); Permitted, not started: 6 (Apple Athenry, Art Data Centres Ennis, Blanchardstown (operator not identified) (3), Echelon Kish Business Park, Arklow, EdgeConneX Ballycoolin, Little Island, Cork (operator not identified) (2)); Proposed: 3 (Herbata Naas, Red Admiral DC Rochfortbridge, SDC-EN Bracetown); Lapsed: 8 (Avaio Digital Killala, Ballycoolin (operator not identified), Blanchardstown (operator not identified) (4), Kilcarbery (operator not identified), Lifford (operator not identified), Newtownmountkennedy (operator not identified), Ovens, Cork (operator not identified), Turvey, Donabate (operator not identified)); Operating: 55Under constructionCommencement notice withouta completion certificate,or mapped buildings with noother proofUnder construction: 77Microsoft Huntstown · Echelon Arklow · VantageProfile Park · Little Island, Cork (operator notidentified) (1) · Equinix Profile Park · Data &Power Hub Peamount, Newcastle · +1 morePermitted, not startedLive permission or EPAlicence, no start yetPermitted, not started: 66Apple Athenry · Art Data Centres Ennis ·Blanchardstown (operator not identified) (3) ·Echelon Kish Business Park, Arklow · EdgeConneXBallycoolin · Little Island, Cork (operator notProposedAppeal pending, EPAapplication, or undecidedProposed: 33Herbata Naas · Red Admiral DC Rochfortbridge ·SDC-EN BracetownLapsedOnly lapsed, refused orwithdrawn recordsLapsed: 88Avaio Digital Killala · Ballycoolin (operator notidentified) · Blanchardstown (operator notidentified) (4) · Kilcarbery (operator notidentified) · Lifford (operator not identified) ·OperatingEPA generators in use,rated property, completioncertificate, or olderpermission with building onOperating: 555555 campuses: see the directory
Irish data-centre campuses by stageUnder construction: 7 (Microsoft Huntstown, Echelon Arklow, Vantage Profile Park, Little Island, Cork (operator not identified) (1), Equinix Profile Park, Data & Power Hub Peamount, Newcastle, eir Drogheda); Permitted, not started: 6 (Apple Athenry, Art Data Centres Ennis, Blanchardstown (operator not identified) (3), Echelon Kish Business Park, Arklow, EdgeConneX Ballycoolin, Little Island, Cork (operator not identified) (2)); Proposed: 3 (Herbata Naas, Red Admiral DC Rochfortbridge, SDC-EN Bracetown); Lapsed: 8 (Avaio Digital Killala, Ballycoolin (operator not identified), Blanchardstown (operator not identified) (4), Kilcarbery (operator not identified), Lifford (operator not identified), Newtownmountkennedy (operator not identified), Ovens, Cork (operator not identified), Turvey, Donabate (operator not identified)); Operating: 55Under constructionCommencement notice without a completion certificate,or mapped buildings with no other proofUnder construction: 77Microsoft Huntstown · Echelon Arklow · Vantage Profile ParkPermitted, not startedLive permission or EPA licence, no start yetPermitted, not started: 66Apple Athenry · Art Data Centres Ennis · BlanchardstownProposedAppeal pending, EPA application, or undecidedProposed: 33Herbata Naas · Red Admiral DC Rochfortbridge · SDC-ENLapsedOnly lapsed, refused or withdrawn recordsLapsed: 88Avaio Digital Killala · Ballycoolin (operator notOperatingEPA generators in use, rated property, completioncertificate, or older permission with building on siteOperating: 555555 campuses: see the directory

Each campus gets the status supported by its strongest public evidence, never an operator's announcement. "Under construction" needs a commencement notice on the Building Control system without a completion certificate (or newly mapped buildings with no other record); "permitted" means a live planning permission or EPA licence with no start yet; "proposed" means a decision or appeal is still pending; "lapsed" means every record is lapsed, refused or withdrawn. Status is checked against EPA, valuation and planning records as of 10 Oct 2026.

Sources: StackPath directory, 10 Oct 2026 · BCMS commencement notices and completion certificates · EPA LEAP, 3 Oct 2026 · Council planning registers via planningregister, 10 Oct 2026

The pipeline, campus by campus

CampusStatusCouncilEvidence
Microsoft Huntstownunder constructionFingalPlanning FW21A/0151: commencement notice 2025-10-17, no completion certificate
Echelon Arklowunder constructionWicklow2 building(s) mapped in OSM but no completion certificate, EPA commencement or valuation entry yet
Vantage Profile Parkunder constructionSouth DublinPlanning SD21A/0241: commencement notice 2023-04-20, no completion certificate
Little Island, Cork (operator not identified) (1)under constructionCork CountyPlanning 17/5895: commencement notice 2022-09-21, no completion certificate
Equinix Profile Parkunder constructionSouth Dublin1 building(s) mapped in OSM but no completion certificate, EPA commencement or valuation entry yet
Data & Power Hub Peamount, Newcastleunder constructionSouth DublinPlanning SD20A/0324: commencement notice 2025-09-10, no completion certificate
eir Droghedaunder constructionLouthPlanning 24226: commencement notice 2026-04-03, no completion certificate
Apple AthenrypermittedGalway CountyPlanning 211047: unstarted, permission live
Art Data Centres EnnispermittedClarePlanning 21757: unstarted, permission live (expires 2029-04-14)
Blanchardstown (operator not identified) (3)permittedFingalPlanning FW21A/0046: unstarted, permission live (expires 2027-12-05)
Echelon Kish Business Park, ArklowpermittedWicklowPlanning 2488: unstarted, permission live (expires 2029-11-25)
EdgeConneX BallycoolinpermittedFingalPlanning FW22A/0257: unstarted, permission live
Little Island, Cork (operator not identified) (2)permittedCork CountyPlanning 21/5574: unstarted, expires within 12 months (expires 2027-07-08)
Herbata NaasproposedKildarePlanning 2460787: appeal pending
Red Admiral DC RochfortbridgeproposedWestmeathPlanning 2560344: appeal pending
SDC-EN BracetownproposedMeathEPA P1239: licence applied for

Status needs evidence: a commencement notice, an EPA licence or a live permission. Developer names for unnamed campuses come from planning or appeal records.

From permission to power-on

Figure 2

The life of a data-centre project, from planning file to finished building

Planning is quick; building is slow. A council decides in about 2.0 months, an appeal adds 15.2, and the first building is certified complete a median 36.9 months after the application was lodged.

The life of an Irish data-centre projectMedian months: Council decision 2.0 (n=79); Start building 6.5 (n=42); Construction 19.8 (n=35); appeal, where there is one, 15.2 months (n=16); lodgement to first completion certificate 36.9 months (n=35).06 mo12 mo18 mo24 mo30 mo36 mo42 mo48 mo54 moTypical pathMEDIANS, BACK TO BACKCouncil decision: median 2.0 months; middle half 52–172 days; n=792.0 mo · Council decisionlodged → decidedStart building: median 6.5 months; middle half 52–553 days; n=426.5 mo · Start buildinggrant → first building noticeConstruction: median 19.8 months; middle half 408–838 days; n=3519.8 mo · Constructionfirst notice → completion cert.If appealed16 DECIDED APPEALSAppeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála: median 15.2 months; middle half 301–665 days; n=16+15.2 mo at An Coimisiún PleanálaMeasured end to endLODGED → FIRST COMPLETIONLodgement to first completion certificate: median 36.9 months, n=3536.9 months medianmiddle half: 23.9–55.1 moRunning alongside, timing not publicGrid connection offerEirGrid / ESB NetworksEPA licenceif generators ≥50 MW thermalEnergisationIT load is not publishedRatesvaluation list entry
The life of an Irish data-centre projectMedian months: Council decision 2.0 (n=79); Start building 6.5 (n=42); Construction 19.8 (n=35); appeal, where there is one, 15.2 months (n=16); lodgement to first completion certificate 36.9 months (n=35).MEDIAN MONTHS · SCALE 0–55 MOCouncil decision: 2.0 molodged → decided · n=79Start building: 6.5 mogrant → first building notice · n=42Construction: 19.8 mofirst notice → completion cert. · n=35Appeal, if any: 15.2 moAn Coimisiún Pleanála · n=16Lodged → first completion: 36.9 momiddle half 23.9–55.1 mo · n=35

Each bar is the median time for one stage, measured on Irish planning files that mention a data centre (79 council decisions, 16 decided appeals, 35 projects that reached a completion certificate). Medians of different groups do not add up exactly, so the end-to-end line is measured separately; its whisker shows the middle half of projects. 71% of new-build permissions at least two years old had started (39 of 55); the rest are unbuilt or lapsed. Grid offers, EPA licences and energisation dates are not published per project, so they are shown without durations.

Sources: Council planning registers via planningregister, 10 Oct 2026 · An Coimisiún Pleanála case records · Building Control Management System commencement notices and completion certificates · StackPath lifecycle build, 10 Oct 2026

3.1 yrs
Median, application to finished building
n=35 · completion certificates
71%
Of granted new builds actually started
39 of 55 since 2014
69%
Appealed since the 2021 CRU direction
was 13% · n=16 vs 69
23.5 mo
Median appeal now
was 10.5 months · 7 vs 5 appeals

How long each step takes (median months)

Lodged → council decision2
Appeal → Board decision (if appealed)15.2
Grant → construction starts5.5
Construction → completion certificate19.8

Once granted, projects start in about 6 months and finish about 18 months later. The delay has moved into planning and appeals.

Before and after the CRU direction (Nov 2021)

BeforeAfter
New-build applications6916
Median lodged → council decision2 mo4.5 mo
Further information requested43%69%
Appealed13%69%
Refused3%25%
Median appeal length10.5 mo23.5 mo

New-build applications lodged before and after 23 Nov 2021. The "after" group is small and still filling in: read the direction, not the decimals.

Permitted but not built

SiteOperatorCouncilm²StatusExpiry
Equinix Profile Park (DB8) SD21A/0186EquinixSDCC9,601unstarted, expires within 12 months2027-05-05
Hoffmann Park, Little Island 21/5574—CORKCO—unstarted, expires within 12 months2027-07-08
Parslickstown, Mulhuddart FW21A/0046—FINGAL—unstarted, permission live2027-12-05
Wallingstown, Little Island 17/6980—CORKCO—unstarted, permission live2028-02-26
Avoca River Park, Arklow 2372Echelon (Crag Digital Avoca)WICKLOW48,618unstarted, permission live2028-07-24
Tulla Road, Ennis 21757—CLARE118,740unstarted, permission live2029-04-14
EdgeConneX Ballymakaily SD22A/0333EdgeConneXSDCC15,274unstarted, permission live2030-07-31
Avoca River Park, Arklow 2560594Echelon (Crag Digital Avoca)WICKLOW45,511unstarted, permission live2031-06-01
Pure DC Orion Park FW26A/0021EPure DCFINGAL—unstarted, permission live2031-07-24
Google Grange Castle SD24A/0164WGoogleSDCC38,115unstarted, permission live2036-09-23
Crag Avenue, Clondalkin SD13A/0271eirSDCC59,239lapsed without commencement notice2019-07-21
Ovens IDA estate 14/6757—CORKCO—lapsed without commencement notice2020-02-23
Staffordstown, Turvey F15A/0266McHale PartnershipFINGAL7,032lapsed without commencement notice2020-12-16
Kevlin, Lifford 1850236—DONEGAL—lapsed without commencement notice2023-02-24
Crag Avenue, Clondalkin SD18A/0068Echelon (Crag Digital)SDCC56,560lapsed without commencement notice2024-05-13
Avoca River Park, Arklow 18940Echelon (Crag Digital Avoca)WICKLOW—lapsed without commencement notice2024-07-16
Mountkennedy, Newtownmountkennedy 10/2123 (via 24306)—WICKLOW111,228lapsed without commencement notice2024-07-30
Damastown, Mulhuddart FW19A/0232—FINGAL48,303lapsed without commencement notice2025-10-30
Avoca River Park, Arklow 201285Echelon (Crag Digital Avoca)WICKLOW47,580lapsed without commencement notice2026-03-21
Kish Business Park, Arklow 201088—WICKLOW66,630lapsed without commencement notice2026-06-09
Wallingstown, Little Island 16/5011—CORKCO—lapsed without commencement notice2026-07-28
Derrydonnell, Athenry Athenry original permission (via 211047)AppleGALWAYCO30,138lapsed without commencement notice2026-08-04

Highlighted: permission still live but no construction started. Built = a Building Control completion certificate, not switch-on. Coverage is a floor: some data centres are described as "ICT facilities".

PlanSight planning register × Building Control (BCMS) commencement notices and completion certificates · as of 2026-10-10

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