People Before Profit-Solidarity has proposed that data centres should be forced to pay the same percentage of tax on their electricity as ordinary households.
Outlining the proposal at the party’s think-in in Dublin this afternoon, it said the €1.5 billion raised from the move would be used to fund a €500 energy credit for homes and additional funding for disability services.
Under the plans, which will be tabled in a private members motion in the Dáil next week, the party wants to double the amount of tax data centres pay on their electricity to be doubled from 20c per KWh to 40c per KWh – the same amount as an ordinary household.
Outlining the proposal to reporters, PBP-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy said the move would raise €1.5bn extra for the exchequer every year, and would be used to fund a €500 energy credit and for homes as well as extra funding and supports for children with disabilities.
“Data centres pay half the price for the electricity they use. We would use that money [the €1.5bn fund] to shield people from the cost-of-living crisis.”
Party members also said they want to see a wealth tax introduced in the upcoming budget which would target individuals with a net worth of €5m or more, which the party said would raise €9bn for the exchequer which could be re-routed to fund other areas.
Party leader Richard Boyd Barrett said this money could be used to help people with the cost-of-living crisis and were targeted not at well-off households but at “extreme wealth and corporate profits” to help create what he said would be “the equal and sustainable society we urgently need”.
He added that the issue would be raised again at a cost-of-living protest due to take place in Dublin city centre on Saturday 19 September.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Boyd Barrett said the proliferation of data centres was “massively increasing the cost of energy for people.”
“They’re hoovering up now about a quarter of the electricity in this country and that’s driving up prices,” Mr Boyd Barrett said.
CSO figures from 2025 showed that data centres used 23% of total metered electricity consumption.
“We’re proposing they pay the same rate as householders and that will raise €1.5bn.”
Mr Boyd Barrett said this money could then be used “to give everybody in the country the energy credit that the Government denied them of €500”.
“But we’re also going to give €500 to every household where there’s a disability, which is a million households and that will be paid for by taxing the data centres who are driving up the price of electricity.
“And of course, the companies that own them are making absolute obscene profits.
“So that is a fair way to address the energy and cost of living crisis that is impacting so many, particularly those with disabilities, but working people generally.”
Sinn Féin, Soc Dems have not responded to PBP ‘left alliance’ enquiries – Boyd Barrett
Mr Boyd Barrett also said People Before Profit has “emailed” Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats regarding a potential “left alliance”.
However, he added that both parties have not responded to People Before Profit’s enquiries.
“We have argued, more than anybody else, that there should be a left alliance and that there’s a historic opportunity, and necessity, in this country to replace Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
“I’m in favour of a left government and that means making alliances with other people of similar policies; that doesn’t mean I endorse everything Sinn Féin or any of those parties do, but I see my job as a socialist to put pressure on those parties,” he said.
Mr Boyd Barrett added: “Several times we’ve emailed them asking to meet all of those parties and we don’t get much of a response.”
