A site the size of approximately 145 soccer pitches (145ac) has been approved for a data centre complex on the Tulla Road close to Ennis town, despite many objections from local people and concerned citizens. If this data centre goes ahead, it will use huge amounts of energy and water, and will puff out dangerous toxins into the air from 84 chimney stacks as high as 25m.

The plans include a 120MW gas plant which will emit toxins such as formaldehyde and nitrous oxide, neither of which are currently monitored in Ennis. There is unequivocal evidence that living near a gas plant puts residents at more risk of hospitalisation for respiratory problems.

The gas plant will also emit large amounts of methane, which is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, up to 84 times more potent than coal. It is bleakly ironic that there are plans to close Moneypoint in Clare due to increasing need to reduce carbon emissions, and yet create a new gas plant in the same county. 66 diesel generators will also be used to power the plant. It is shocking to think that the people of Ireland have been threatened with power shortages, while an American Corporation can be given the green light to use as much energy as the whole of Kilkenny City.

There are currently water shortages in many areas of the country, including Carron in Clare. We have been asked to conserve water, while at the same time, the proposed data centre would use as much water as 200,000 homes.

The payback to Clare for the data centre would be very little. In return for the big eyesore in the east of Ennis, few decent longterm jobs would be created - the majority being security workers. Surely there is a lot more Ennis can do with 450 acres - think of the housing shortage.

There is little or no regulation of what information is stored in the data centres. There is evidence that a large percentage of this information may be considered unethical by employees of tech giants' own admission - for example companies can "harvest" and store personal information based on people's internet usage. And a shocking 14% of Ireland's electricity is being used already by data centres storing this kind of information.

Unfortunately it costs 200eu to object to the data centre at this stage of the planning process and many people cannot afford to voice their opinion. The aim of this petition is to allow anyone to be part of an objection which will be submitted to An Bord Pleanala in the coming days (deadline 5th September 2022). If you would like to add your name, please be aware for GDPR purposes, any details you submit will be visible to the authorities and anyone viewing the objection.

Please sign this petition to help Futureproof Clare stop the Ennis data centre and gas plant.