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Apple’s Irish data center faces delays as citizens raise concern over environmental impact on local wildlife

Last year it was announced that Apple was planning a major new data center for County Galway in Ireland, as well as one in Denmark, both set to begin operations in 2017. According to a new report from Business Insider, however, Apple’s plans for the Irish data center have hit a speed bump. The report claims that the company’s $928 million dollar center has been put on hold due to complaints from the community.

Apple had originally hoped to start building the data center on a 500-acre site by the end of 2015, but a new decision from the Irish government now won’t come until this summer. The government is reviewing a variety of appeals made by various parties after the go-ahead was already given last September.

Apple plans to build the data center in a small town called Athenry, in the middle of the Derrydonnell Forest. The company has promised to restore native trees to Derrydonnell Forest after the process is complete, as well as to build an education place for local schools and a walking trail. The center will be powered by renewable energy.

Supporters of Apple’s Irish data center say that it would create around 300 jobs for the community, but naysayers don’t think that is worth the other trade offs. Some of the appeals filed to the Irish government say that the data center would increase noise and light pollution, flooding, and traffic. Citizens are also arguing that it would harm populations of local badgers and bats.

The report adds that Apple is still optimistic it will be able to open its Irish data center by 2017, but these delays seem to suggest otherwise at this point. The company is expected to use the center for cloud services such as Siri, iMessage, Maps, iTunes, and the App Store.

The complaints were made with An Bord Pleanála, which is an independent party in Ireland that will make the decision. The committee, made up of “10-12 experts” is expected to issue another report in mid-February. It could be as late as summer when the final decision is made, however.

Earlier this year it was reported that Apple is looking to expand its data infrastructure in the United States, as well. The company is said to be building another data center in Reno, Nevada, adjacent to the existing one that is still under construction.

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Comments

  1. Doug Aalseth - 8 years ago

    Badgers? We don’t need no stinking badgers.
    :lol:

  2. 2is1toomany - 8 years ago

    I guess the renewable energy source, education center and relocation of trees is not enough. How noisy could a data center be that it warrants a complaint and at what distance? Maybe Apple should relocate the wildlife too…? \_(シ)_/

  3. rnc - 8 years ago

    Move somewhere else… better have badgers and bats than jobs…

  4. tincan2012 - 8 years ago

    Light pollution is better than heavy pollution..
    Couldn’t they build somewhere in Ireland that does not require much tree cutting, or move location out of Ireland? Or is it a bad time to get negative press in Ireland?

    • Neil Quinn (@neilq5) - 8 years ago

      Ireland is favoured for data centres because of the ideal climate, but these bastards are out looking for something to complain about every time they hear anything like this.

  5. Robert Wood - 8 years ago

    The problem with most humans is they are hypocrite. They lavishly hunt,kill and expand on animals habitat as community but when a company put a building on some land than they feel impact to surrounding animals and oppose such move..

  6. greggaravani - 8 years ago

    Hm…it’s comical how many of you Apple fanboys get butt hurt when the company you fall to your knees for doesn’t truly care as much as they claim to. If Apple is as “environmentally friendly” then it should be no issue to company to reconsider options and relocate if citizens are concerned for their wild life (unlike Americans who encourage bulldozing everything to get their way). Sorry but last time I checked this wasn’t Burger King, you CAN’T have it your way.

    • Isitjustme - 8 years ago

      Since you are at it why not educate us the fan boys how is Apple do not care about the environment where they are building the data center.

      Perhaps the people who complained have jobs and don’t care for the people who don’t.

    • Wayne - 8 years ago

      And here we have an Android fanboy. Who knows not what spews forth from his blowhole.

  7. Michael Maguire - 8 years ago

    This is just the beginning, objections first, protesting next. I would put money on it that these are the same idiots complaining who object to every major building project (see Corrib Pipeline and M3 road projects) just because they can. If it were up to me, all of them would be investigated in regard to how they can afford to spend 8 or more hours a day protesting while tied to a tree. I’d bet they are all in receipt of social welfare payments from the state and if that were found to be true then they are clearly in breach of their duties to find and engage in ANY meaningful employment available. I would cancel their payments with immediate effect. See how many of them protest then. Bums.

    • pleasureprimer - 8 years ago

      Good thing it’s not up to you based on the amount of generalizations and stereotypes you managed to lump into 6 sentences. Apple has shown that they can work with communities to work out issues like these. And if they can’t they will just find another location. Don’t demonize the residents just because they may disagree with what Apple proposes. Rightly or wrongly, they have the right as residents to have their voices heard. Lets see how it all plays out.

      • Michael Maguire - 8 years ago

        It is absolutely a good thing that it’s not up to me. Because if it was, it just wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t tolerate useless idiots holding up employment, national interests and advancement when this country needs it so badly. I’m sick to death of clowns like this objecting just because they can. The centre will be run on renewable energy and Apple have said that they will restore the trees in the area after the building is complete…………what more do they want? A useless piece of land being used for nothing or a huge facility to provide jobs and badly needed income for the area. An area I might add which has always moaned about their youth having to leave for Dublin and other areas on the east cost to obtain work for decades. Time to put up or shut up. I would’ve replied sooner but I was busy……….working, you know….not protesting over nothing.

  8. Pip (@jinglemyarse) - 8 years ago

    They should consider moving to the North, lots of talent and a nice secure location to purchase… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35469639

Author

Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com