An independent report assessing the impact of data centers in Ireland underwent significant revisions to align with government objectives for sector expansion, according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request. The Department of Enterprise requested changes to a draft report by KPMG to ensure it presented a "strong narrative" supporting continued development.
The draft report, initially shared with the department on November 17, 2025, contained concerns about the strain on the electricity grid, questioned the effectiveness of incentives, and noted that land used for data centers could displace farming, conservation, or community development. However, these critical points were either omitted from the executive summary and key findings or substantially altered in the published version.
Officials from the Department of Enterprise engaged in extensive correspondence with KPMG regarding the report, which cost €100,000. The department stated that while the draft presented evidence, it lacked clarity in its message regarding post-2030 data center development in the context of climate objectives. A request was made to ensure the executive summary highlighted economic benefits and provided evidence supporting continued expansion.
By December 9, KPMG informed officials that all comments from a marked-up version had been addressed. Two days later, the department reiterated the need for a "strong narrative" in the executive summary to support further development beyond 2030, emphasizing the need to reconcile this with climate goals.
A revised executive summary, incorporating the feedback, was sent by KPMG on December 19. Following the report's publication, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke described it as demonstrating that data centers are a "critical component of Ireland's digital infrastructure."
Pearse Doherty, Sinn Féin finance spokesman, criticized the revisions, stating that the department's requests "undermine every 'independent' report that the Government has relied on to justify decisions in the past." He suggested the government had spent taxpayer money to receive a report that confirmed their desired outcome.
The Department of Enterprise maintained that it is "normal practice" for such reports to be guided by a steering group including government officials. KPMG stated that seeking stakeholder input and feedback from the commissioning party is also standard procedure.
The report highlighted that €15 billion has already been invested in the sector, with an additional €8 billion to €10 billion planned. The draft report noted that data centers accounted for 22% of Ireland's electricity consumption in 2024, a figure predicted to rise to 33% by 2030. This statistic was not featured in the key findings of the published report, though it appeared elsewhere.
