Atlantic Flight Training Academy ‘contributes €35 million' to regional economy
Aviation
Atlantic Flight Training Academy 'contributes €35 million' to regional economy
Megan O'Brien
12:28
Minister of State Jerry Buttimer with chief executive of Afta Captain Mark Casey at the launch of the Economic and Social Impact Report. Photo: David Creedon
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Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Irish Times
15 data centres awaiting decision on gas network connection
Fifteen data centres around the State have been waiting for up to three years for decisions on getting connected to the national gas grid. It comes as Peter Lantry, managing director of data centre group Equinix , says a number of Irish retail data centres are nearing maximum capacity or 'going dark'. Rising demand in companies looking to locate in Ireland is outstripping the availability of data centre space, he said. There are 11 data centres contracted to connect to the gas network, of which four are awaiting connection, according to figures provided by Gas Networks Ireland to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Darragh O'Brien . As it stands, the maximum hourly load of these 11 data centres stands at 2,100 megawatts. The 15 data centres waiting for connection to the network would more than treble that demand to around 7,400 megawatts. READ MORE [ Commitment to climate action hard to find in Government Opens in new window ] Mr Lantry said the need for gas connections in data centres is often for backup power generation, giving the data centres flexibility to get off the electricity grid during power demand spikes. In a statement, Gas Networks Ireland said it was 'not contracting any new data centre connections' beyond the 11 data centres which were contracted to connect before the publication of the Government statement on the role of data centres in Ireland's enterprise strategy in July 2022. The State-owned company said it is 'engaging' with the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in relation to the impact of the statement on gas connection policy and is not contracting any new connections 'pending the CRU's consultation process on large energy users connection policy, which is ongoing'. A spokesman for the utility regulator said it is reviewing responses to the consultation process and 'hope[s] to publish the final paper along with the responses received later this year'. Until then, the 15 data centres waiting in the queue will not receive a decision on their requests to be connected to the grid. 'Current gas demand is only a fraction of this connected capacity, with demand projected to ramp up towards contracted levels as customers build out their sites' GNI informed Minister O'Brien in March for response to a separate parliamentary question. In a statement, a spokeswoman for O'Brien said the Government had prioritised renewable energy sources noting 'data centres that are not connected to the electricity grid and are powered mainly by on-site fossil fuel generation would not be in line with national policy..' Equinix's Mr Lantry said the company was one of the 11 to get approval for a gas network connection. But, he said, it had been unable to build that gas connection as its application for an electricity grid connection had been 'terminated'. Even with increased investment by companies such as Equinix into sustainable on-site energy generation, such as solar, limitations on data centres has meant that 'Ireland is no longer on the radar when it comes to companies that want to invest in this space', he said. The spokeswoman for the Department of Energy said data centres were 'core infrastructure enabler of a technology-rich, innovative economy, which makes Ireland a location of choice for a broad range of sectors and value-added activities.' She said Ireland had attracted the 'best data centre and tech companies in the world' but that the Government faces a 'significant challenge' to find the balance between competitiveness of industry and a sustainable and secure energy supply.
Irish Examiner
17 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Irish households' €160bn in savings could be unlocked to fund new homes
The Government should establish a State-backed housing investment vehicle to allow households to invest their savings in housing development, the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland has said. The society said such an initiative, similar to schemes operating in countries such as France, would enable the Government to put long-term multi-annual housing plans in place while also facilitating investment in much-needed infrastructural projects. 'Irish households' bank deposits amount to nearly €160bn, mostly in low-interest current accounts,' said the society's new president, Gerard O'Toole. 'At the same time, access to finance remains a major barrier, especially for small and medium-sized developers.' Mr O'Toole pointed out that the State is by far the largest investor in Ireland's housing delivery — it allocated over €5bn to housing in 2024. However, he said that this level of public investment is not sustainable in the long term and the State needs to explore alternative and diversified funding streams. 'A savings fund of this nature would underpin long-term planning by providing the multi-annual funding commitments housing projects require,' he said. 'It could also support longer-term budgets for several state housing schemes, including help-to-buy and vacant property grants, which are often subject to annual funding reviews and decisions.' The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) also said the new Housing Activation Office needs to commence its work urgently on clearing the many blockages which are impeding the delivery of new housing. 'The SCSI is calling for reform of the utility connection processes and earlier engagement by Uisce Éireann and the ESB with home builders to reduce delays and prioritise essential connections for housing ready for occupation,' Mr O'Toole said. 'That is why we believe the terms of reference for the Housing Activation Office must facilitate greater collaboration and transparency. Regular and effective engagement with key industry stakeholders will be key to the success of this office.'
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
New €200 maximum childcare fee boost for 190k Irish parents in MONTHS as ‘higher subsidies' details confirmed
CHILDCARE fees for around 190,000 parents across Ireland will be capped at just under €200 each week, it has been confirmed. Minister for Children 2 Childcare fees for thousands of Irish parents will now be capped at just under €200 each week Credit: Getty Images 2 Children's Minister Norma Foley confirmed the change in the maximum childcare fees yesterday Credit: Cillian Sherlock/PA Wire And the A This will lower the maximum fees that can be charged depending on the number of hours provided. Under these new maximum fee caps, the highest possible fees will be no more than €295 per week for a full day place of between 40-50 hours per week. READ MORE IN MONEY This will bring these fees closer to the average weekly fee of €197 for full day care. These fees for parents are then reduced by State subsidies under the National Childcare Scheme and the free, universal two-year Early Childhood Care and Education preschool programme. A parent being charged the maximum permissible fee of €295 per week for a full day place would be entitled to receive the universal National Childcare Scheme subsidy of €96.30. This means a parents co-payment would be no more than €198.70 each week. MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN However, it has been confirmed that "higher subsidies are available for many parents", depending on their level of income and the age and number of children in their family. I work in a nursery and there are four types of parents we cannot stand one bit - and don't even get me started on kids wearing pull-ups Confirming the new caps, Minister Foley said: "Since 2020, the amount of State funding in this area has increased from around €600 million to €1.37 billion this year. "That has led to a 50 per cent reduction in the cost faced by parents on average and a record number of children – approximately 190,000 have benefitted from the National Childcare Scheme this year. "So there has been progress. But I know that the cost of early learning and childcare is still far too high for many parents." FEE FREEZE In addition to the new fee cap, funds available through Core Funding will ensure the existing fee freeze, introduced in 2022, will remain in place for participating services. Minister Foley said: "The extension of maximum fee caps to all services participating in Core Funding will reduce costs for families facing the highest fees in the country. "It will address some of the extreme fee disparities across the sector in a meaningful way, so that there are more consistent rates in place for families in their local areas. "It is another step along the way to achieving the commitment in the Programme for Government to a maximum payment by parents of €200 per child per month for early learning and childcare during the lifetime of this government. "Core Funding has enjoyed high participation rates to date, with 92 per cent of services taking part." WHAT DO MAX FEE CAPS MEAN FOR ME? MAXIMUM fee caps were introduced for Partner Services joining Core Funding for the first time in September of last year. Today's announcement means that maximum fee caps will apply to all new and existing Partner Services from September. Any fees above these caps will now be lowered. Now, a parent availing of 45 hours of care for their child, and who is also in receipt of the maximum NCS subsidy, will not pay any more than €198.70 out of pocket costs. The She said: "I am confident that the increased funding available from September will allow for the continued partnership with early learning and childcare services." The additional €60 million includes €45 million specifically ring-fenced to support the outcomes of the committee made up of employer and employee representatives from the childcare sector. Foley said: "We want the best of people caring for and educating children in the sector. To do that, and to keep them in the sector, they need to be paid fairly. "This new €45 million in funding will be contingent on increased minimum pay rates for the sector being agreed by the Joint Labour Committee. "Once new Employment Regulation Orders for the sector are agreed, this funding will specifically support employers to meet the costs of these increases to the minimum rates of pay in the sector."
