What have data centres ever done for us? (with Patrick Bresnihan and Patrick Brodie)

Are data centres central to the Irish economy? Or is that just some inflated bluster from the government on behalf of Big Tech? A recent report from Maynooth University has debunked some of the government’s claims around the benefits we reap from being Europe’s data centre dumping ground, so we asked two of its co-authors, Patrick Bresnihan and Patrick Brodie, to talk to us about Ireland’s data centre dependency, and the motivating factors behind it.

*** Good things we recommend ***

>> Read the report, How We All Pay for Big Tech: The social, economic, and environmental costs costs of data centres in Ireland

>> Check out the programme for Beta Festival 2026

>> Pick up a copy of the two Patricks’ book, From the Bog to the Cloud

>> Check out the Workers’ AI Counter Summit in Dublin this weekend

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