Residents of a small village in Waterford say they’ve been blindsided by plans to build a massive multi-billion-euro data center on the site of a former cheese factory.

More than 300 people have objected to the proposed data centre, citing traffic, aesthetic, and environmental concerns.

But, why do we need them? Are they environmentally efficient? And just how essential are these data centres when it comes to foreign direct investment?

Joining Ciara Doherty to discuss this is Peter Lantry, Managing Director of Equinix, and Jerry MacEvilly, Head of Policy at Friends of the Earth.