Ireland must match digital ambition with the energy and infrastructure needed to compete for AI investment
Digital Infrastructure Ireland's Convergence conference to tackle the critical decisions shaping Ireland's digital future
Thursday, 22nd October 2026: Ronan Kelly, CEO of Digital Infrastructure Ireland (DII), said Ireland has an opportunity to position itself at the forefront of the next era of digitalisation, but realising that opportunity will require ambition, collaboration and a more joined-up approach to energy and digital infrastructure.
Speaking DII’s Convergence conference at Croke Park, Kelly said there was a disconnect between the State’s agencies and the Government’s policies for digitalisation. “The Government has a large energy users’ policy but no two of the State’s agencies are on the same page on executing it. Planners come up with one set of conditions, then other State agencies set contradictory or different ones, meaning investors and operators end up with an unimplementable muddle.”
“We simply need a single Government policy that everyone executes speedily. The window to capitalise on AI investment will not remain open indefinitely. Not one data centre in Ireland is part of the AI revolution even though we have been an early leader in the data centre space. If we want to regain our leadership in this next era of digitalisation, it will require much more joined-up thinking across Government, industry and State agencies.”
“We have many strengths as a country. Ireland has significant renewable energy potential but constraints around grid capacity and connections limit the country’s ability to translate these resources into a competitive advantage. As competing European markets, such as Spain and the Nordics, move to capture the next generation of AI and data centre investment, Ireland risks losing more opportunities unless it can provide the infrastructure required to support modern digital workloads,” the DII CEO said.
“DII is calling for a more coordinated approach across Government, the energy sector, grid operators, regulators and digital infrastructure providers to deliver the grid and energy infrastructure required to support future growth and protect the existing technology sector we have built. This should include a long-term strategy capable of harnessing renewable, local generation, energy storage, offshore energy resources and greater interconnection, alongside accelerated development of the electricity grid.”
DII’s ‘Convergence’ conference brought together leaders from Government, energy, technology and digital infrastructure at Croke Park today to examine the opportunities and challenges shaping Ireland’s digital future, including artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, investment and Ireland’s competitiveness as a global digital hub. The keynote address was delivered by Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers, with speakers including Oonagh Buckley, Secretary General at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; Michael McNamara, MEP; Donal Travers, Executive Director at IDA Ireland; economist Jim Power; and Errol Close, Chief Corporate Services Officer at EirGrid.
For Further information:
Lucy McGivern, Q4PR, 086 158 7850
Notes to Editor:
About Digital Infrastructure Ireland
Digital Infrastructure Ireland is a global initiative dedicated to driving the growth and success of the digital infrastructure ecosystem both in and from Ireland.
As a partner-driven organisation, our community brings together companies with world-class expertise at every stage of the digital infrastructure lifecycle. From design and construction to operation and maintenance, our partners embody a spirit of “co-opetition” and collaboration that strengthens Ireland’s standing as a global leader in digital infrastructure. Digital Infrastructure Ireland serves as a collective voice for the digital infrastructure ecosystem, helping to ensure it remains a trusted partner for designing, building and supplying digital infrastructure across Europe and beyond.
