Google will invest in a new €75m data centre in west Dublin, which will create 200 jobs for the building and renovation of the centre, and 30 jobs for the management of the facility.
Google acquired 11 acres of land and an existing building in Dublin’s Profile Park and will soon begin construction on the data centre. It will help run its online services, such as the Google search engine, Gmail and Google Maps.
Two hundred people from local and national firms will be hired at the peak of the construction phase. Contractors have already been selected after taking part in a competitive bid process. Construction for the data centre will take 12-15 months.
Once completed, the data centre will rank among the “most energy-efficient data centres in the world.” Google will use advanced air-cooling technology, which has already been tested at Google’s existing rented data centre facility in Dublin.
It also takes advantage of Ireland’s naturally cool climate, using outside air to cool computers instead of air conditioning units. Ireland’s weather was reported to have played a “significant factor” in selecting the location for the data centre.
When operational, the centre will employ up to 30 staff in full-time and contractor roles, which includes computer technicians, electrical and mechanical engineers, and catering and security staff.
It will add to Google’s current Dublin rented data centre, which will continue to operate.
“As I have said repeatedly, the global cloud computing industry offers Ireland a massive opportunity for jobs and economic growth,” said Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
“I am determined that Government will act decisively to seize that opportunity, and that is why I have established a cross-Government implementation group to ensure that prompt action occurs.
“The decision by Google, one of the most important multinational companies in Ireland, to locate a state-of-the-art data centre in Dublin is an endorsement of our policies in this area, and a sign of what is possible if we continue our focus,” he said.
“We’re very happy to continue investing in Ireland and to build out our presence here even further,” said John Herlihy, head of Google Ireland.
“The new data centre will be one of the most energy efficient in Google’s global fleet. This investment further strengthens our presence here, and I’d like to thank IDA Ireland for the assistance they gave us in selecting this site.”
