Apple's Irish Data Center Facing New Legal Challenges as Locals Plan March in Support

[Scrivener]

-- where the High Court will consider Apple's motion and either agree to the fast track plan and see the issue settled within the next few months, or prolongate the company's attempted construction even more.


Article Link: Apple's Irish Data Center Facing New Legal Challenges as Locals Plan March in Support

PROLONGATE? Do you mean prolong? That's George Bush speak.
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Don't know how I feel about Apple replacing this: ...
...
It's a sodden moss-covered pine forest. Plant another pine forest somewhere else after you have capitalised the stuff that's standing there now. You win three ways. Clear a sodden forest and sell the wood, get a to plant a new one on a better site, and win a 20 plus year deal with a growth industry - which is mostly non-polluting.

And why Ireland?

I would come to live in Ireland - even if it was to look my dead relatives grave sites. My heart is in Ireland, my body is in Australia, my head is confused.

http://athenryparishheritage.com/derrydonnell-wood-athenry/

 

[Glideslope]

PROLONGATE? Do you mean prolong? That's George Bush speak.
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prolong |prəˈlôNG| (also prolongate |-ˈlôNGɡāt, -ˈläNG-| ) verb [ with obj. ] extend the duration of: an idea that prolonged the life of the engine by many years.• (usu. be prolonged) rare extend in spatial length: the line of his lips was prolonged in a short red scar.DERIVATIVES prolongation |prəˌlôNGˈ(ɡ)āSH(ə)n| noun.prolonger noun

 

[Michael Scrip]

You would think Apple could resolve this by making the data center an underground installation. That should actually help with their HVAC costs and keep the land above reasonably intact.

Sweden did it!

Pionen data center... built in an old underground nuclear bunker:

 

[Scrivener]

Never ever get in a way of a good rant, even though it has nothing factual about it.

COSTS are directly attributed as tax losses against income from other sources. This is a COST!
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Construction will probably be around 2,000 jobs and that's going to last 10 or 15 years.

Apple currently employs around 6,500 people in Ireland. If they continue getting in trouble for doing that, those people's jobs are under threat. As are the jobs of anyone else in Ireland who works for an international corporation.

Irish Builders - at least 40 years.

 

[rekhyt]

Hello, UK.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-37497807

 

[niun]

I wonder: how many personnel would a data centre of this size employ?

Does anybody who happen to work in the field have a figure?

My guess is in the 20s.

According to Apple's tax documentation I'm guessing around 20,000

 

[VideoFreek]

And even then - I'm a nature lover but that looks like a planted forest of pine. A man-made fast-growing monoculture that is typically devoid of much in the way of animal life. When you come across one of these on a walk it's like walking into a desert as far as birds go. My guess is that an Apple industrial park might well be more nature friendly.

Ha! You are spot on -- nice catch!! I spent a bit of time studying the Parish Archive website linked to in a post above and learned the following:

• the forest comprises 206 hectares (509 acres) of woods, and was first planted in 1936 on what was apparently agricultural land. The first planting failed spectacularly--the trees (particularly scots pines) were devastated by an infestation of pine sawflies and pine shoot beetles--and so ~90% of the forest was replanted with other species of trees between 1959 and 1973.

• the forest is now managed on a 40-year rotation, and harvested wood is used for a variety of commercial purposes. The management of this forest employs 6 people.

• local fauna includes Hare, Rabbits, Foxes, Badgers, Field mice, Red Squirrel, ...and Rats.

An account of the area's history notes the following:

Why did Landlords plant Forests around their houses e.g. Castle Lambert and Castle Ellen?
To enhance the appearance of their estates, for privacy, status – e.g. tree lined avenues (still at Castle Ellen) for recreation – to satisfy the shooting needs of the gentry as the woods were stocked mainly with woodcock, pheasant. The trees were planted in large groups with wide spaces between (ride lines) to enable the followers to shoot the game as they were driven from one block of trees to another. These woods also provided fox – coverts as the landlords also engaged in hunting and these old estates initiated the founding of the Galway Blazers. Their first meeting was held in Castle Lambert.

While one might get the impression that this story is about a pristine wilderness being shamefully destroyed by Apple for crass commercial purposes, this narrative bears little semblance to the truth. This forest is a completely artificial contrivance, a man-made nature park whose existence was mainly for the enjoyment of the local elite.

 

[Cole Slaw]

They'll probably send Jony Ive over to assemble the Ikea furniture.
Got to give him something to do besides ruining the Mac lineup and doodling cars all day.

 

[reden]

Apple can get off the wallet and build these things in northern Scandinavia (in a remote area where very few people live),- passive filtered cooling can be done, which would make it very energy efficient.

The ONLY reason they are building this is in Ireland is their continued use of Irish tax law, which the EU ruled as ILLEGAL.

Apple greed knows no bounds. To HELL with Tim Cook - I will celebrate the day this miscreant steps down, and stops ruining a once great company.

You seem to have this all figured out, I don't know why Apple didn't consult you first.

 

[Aivers]

So, a data centre in Athenry (or Derrydonnell, to be specific)... Firstly, it'll apparently employ around 150 people, what with plumbers, engineers, etc... being a data centre, it's unlikely to have a huge cohort of young techies zipping about in Porsches!
Next, it shoes have overwhelming support, for various reasons, around here. Over 2000 residents marched today http://galwaybayfm.ie/over-2000-peo...-march-in-support-of-apple-data-centre-plans/
in support of the project: not because they all think they'll get a gig there but because it is hoped that the infrastructural development needed for this build would support and incentivise further development in the area.
The objections to the project are laid out here
http://connachttribune.ie/residents-appeal-apple-data-centre-plans-404/
and are basically pretty reasonable within the Irish planning sphere. However, none of them are insurmountable as the cost of addressing these would be minuscule in relation to the overall spend.
Apple doesn't make much stuff in Ireland any more. Back in the biege days, Cork supplied Europe with most of its macs but now they assemble pcb's for Pro's and a few other bits but they do run a huge part of their international support effort from here so it does make sense to base data here also... The whole tax debacle will find its own resolution after spending years in court and I doubt it has any impact on this project either way. In terms of the objections, the most pertinent one is that of flooding. It can be addressed by planning water flow during the build but locals, and Irish people in general, are suspicious of the ability of institutions to do what they promise. There has been devastating flooding in the region recently, much of which can be attributed to government agencies poor planning of civil engineering projects. Personally, I think apple would be less likely to make a hash of it!
So, is this good for the region? It's not going to employ loads of people but it might attract more employers; it will have some environmental impact but will generate significant economic activity. The afforestation that will be affected is pretty nice but it it is managed wood planned for harvesting. Disruption during building is inevitable and it's coming on top of the Gort - Ennis motorway which to cause huge personal inconvenience to people in my area but all development involves disruption. I'm not a cheerleader for this gig but overall, for most locals, the data centre will be positive.

 

[icanhazapple]

You seem to have this all figured out, I don't know why Apple didn't consult you first.

They should. Apple is hallowing out the core of their good will from the people that supported them from the beginning. Why did we support this company? Because they did the right thing, they built a compelling product. They don't build a compelling product anymore. In the years to come, they will suffer because of this.

 

[dogslobber]

This is absolutely going to happen because any judge who rules against it would be turning down the permanent jobs that come with it, the investment in the economy, etc. Politics will make sure this occurs.

 

[Solomani]

Apple should give up on Ireland and the EU. Just relocate plans for this data center to India, where everything is cheaper and the food is better.

 

[Aivers]

Apple should give up on Ireland and the EU. Just relocate plans for this data center to India, where everything is cheaper and the food is better.

Well, Athenry, Craughwell and Loughrea are all nearby and all have Supermacs so I don't see what the problem is!

 

[kingpushup]

Apple doubles down, shows commitment to future relationship and helps to ensure that Ireland and EU maintain prior tax treaty status.