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LOCALS AND POLITICIANS have voiced serious concerns that a planned €850 million Apple data centre in Athenry could be scrapped because of planning delays.
An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the data centre on the 166,000 square metre site in mid-2016, but the decision of a judicial review which will determine whether or not it goes ahead has now been put back until October.
The judicial review was first granted last November. Locals who have been campaigning for the investment will now have to wait until 17 October to hear the High Court’s decision.
Apple’s decision to locate the centre in a greenfield site in a Coillte-owned forest was first announced more than two years ago when the tech giant announced a similar investment in Denmark.
The Danish centre is slated to open later this year but the Galway campus is mired in delays.
Galway TD and Minister of State for Community and Digital Development Seán Kyne says this latest delay shows just how slow the planning process here.
“In comparison to other countries, clearly there were issues with delays here on a lot of levels, which is very worrying compared to Denmark where a similar announcement was made by Apple on the same day and their campus will be open later this year,” Kyne told TheJournal.ie, adding that the delay throws the whole project into doubt.
The concern is that this would cause Apple to reconsider their decision. Obviously they’ve invested a lot of time and money in this and it’s hugely important for Galway. It’s hugely important to the local authorities in terms of future rates but more importantly, in terms of earmarking that area for future investment by other companies.
The judicial review has come about on foot of objections on environmental grounds from two locals, Allan Daly and property lawyer Sineád Fitzpatrick.
Initial objections were based on potential traffic problems and fears about how construction might affect nearby badgers and bats, which are protected species.
After considering their complaints at an oral hearing, An Bord Pleanála decided to green-light construction on the site with “revised conditions”. Objections continued however and the judicial review was granted almost nine months ago.
The objections to the data centre led to some locals who are in favour of the plans forming their own campaign group to show their support for the development.
The Athenry for Apple campaign group has close to 4,000 members on Facebook and has held a number of rallies in the town.
The group has now voiced its dismay at the fresh delay.
“It’s a disaster,” according to campaigner Paul Keane.
It puts it more at risk that we will lose a billion-dollar investment in the west of Ireland. Who’ll want to come after Apple have been turned away?They’ve already gone ahead [and started to] build a second plant out in Denmark. Athenry was meant to be built first with a sister site in Denmark but they’ve got a second site in Denmark, and although they say that it’s not a replacement it’s still within the European boundaries and that’s what they wanted.
Keane says jobs and investment are the main reasons supporters want the data centre built but that they were particularly in favour of it because it is a “relatively clean industry” that could lead to further high-tech jobs.
The Galway data centre would be used to store information for Apple’s online services like iTunes, Siri and iMessage.
Minister of State Kyne also adds that it would be “hugely worrying” for the country as a whole if the investment was lost because of planning delays.
“I mean it was fully examined by the competent authority and planning authority and that has passed, so I think everyone thought it would go forward to the construction phase,” he said.
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The Crane Bar Galway, more locals than tourists has to be in top 9.
The Glen Tavern, Glenties, Donegal is definitely worth checking out!
@cníchi: This is The Journal. Venturing as far north as Sligo for a feature like this is a feat on its own.
The Crane bar in Galway.
Cryan’s, Carrick on Shannon is missing.
Peadar Browns Clanbrassil Street
Piper’s Corner should have made the list.
@Dublin By Pub: I’ve been there only two or three times (more a Briody’s fan) but had no idea they hosted trad sessions.
Mad how Matt Molloys in Westport didn’t get a mention considering there’s a trad session every night of the year and him and the other members The Chietains play together there regularly
@John Lally: very fair point. I was there about 6 years ago and it was one hell of a night.
@John Lally: great craic, but headline includes ‘without the tourists’ and Molloys gets lots of tourists.
Good to see Shoot The Crows, Sligo, there. Rustic Inn, Abbeyshrule, Longford very good too.
Wednesday nights Larkin’s pub in Corbally, Limerick
Thursday nights, HiB in Mallow, Co. Cork
two really nice authentic weekly sessions.
This is a local pub for local people!
An Spailpin in Cork is a great spot.. Like stepping out of the city into the countryside.
@Rob Cahill: nice pint of Beamish in there too
Nothing in Belfast?
@Brendan M:
They don’t seem to regard Belfast as being in Ireland on this site.
McNeill’s on Capel Street in Dublin
Jim O the mills is a great place to go
Imagine no pub in Co Clare included in s list of traditional music venues….I’d say there was a lot of research done for that report. Fake news ????
@Pat Duggan: corofin is in clare !!
The CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club has a very serious session on the last Friday night of every month too. Absolutely no tourists anywhere near the place, and no leprauchans or tat at all! https://www.facebook.com/InchicoreSportsAndSocialClub/
The Cobblestone, Smithfield.
James griffens bar (Lenehans) in trim co.meath should be on the list too
Whats the best pub in Killarney? Bringing the American cousins down on Monday for a couple of day’s.
@Jim Jiminy: You will be spoilt for choice in Killarney, get there early and walk around town, most places will have signs up if they have music that night. A great pub is Reidy’s lovely atmosphere there. Also Tatler Jack, O’Connor’s, O’Donoghue’s, Dunloe Lodge, ah the list goes on and on so my advice is to call to a few & get chatting to the locals & you can’t go far wrong in finding plenty ceol & craic for your American cousins. Enjoy it all of you.
@Mary Cullinane: Thank’s Mary
@Jim Jiminy: Reidy’s on Main St. This spot alone is worth a visit to Killarney, and there’s proper music every night.
Tuohys in Rathdowney Co Laois. Once owned by 2 sisters, bought some years ago by a Dublin musician, who didn’t change a thing. It only holds about 30 people but the Sat and Mon night open mic sessions are legendary!
Mccarthys bar in Buttevant every Friday night. Craicing music. Lovely old world bar.
Hughes’ has a very nice ‘general’ folk, singer-songwriter, americana etc session in the Snug on Wednesday nights….
and no mention of wexford…
Traynors in Oldcastle any Sat night
Drogheda has #MusicAtTheGate each month and sessions every week. The best one is in the Grey Goose every Monday from 9.
have your say