People Before Profit will today introduce a new bill to amend the Planning and Development act in order to ban proposed new data centres and stop any building of LNGs (Liquified Natural Gas Terminals) in the state.
Bríd Smith TD said the Bill address the glaring gaps in the Governments own Climate Bill, due to pass through the Dáil this week.
She said: “Real climate action can’t happen if we are simultaneously planning to have over half of any increase in renewable energy swallowed up by mega data centres by 2030. We can’t reach our commitments under Paris and pretend that we can allow 100 plus data centres over the next decade. Other states and cities have also looked to impose restrictions on their growth, we must act now if we are serious about the climate emergency.”
Paul Murphy TD added: “The Minister’s recent statements on LNGs and fracked gas was a huge blow to campaigners who rightly see this as the next big battle line in the fight for climate action. Gas and fracked gas can have no role in our transition, and it’s extremely worrying that the Shannon project remains a live one. Given that Shannon LNG has cleared the pre-consultation hurdle at An Bord Pleanála on June 2nd, it remains a real danger that we are walking into the building of a major LNGs in this state under the nose of our Green Party minister which is why this legislation is needed to place an absolute ban on such developments during the climate emergency.”
Deputy Smith will introduce the new proposal at first stage in the Dáil today.
Note for Editors: The Planning and Development (Climate emergency Measures Act) 2021 would place an absolute ban on data centres, LNGs and new fossil fuel related infrastructure during the period of the climate and biodiversity emergency.
