Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on the Environment, Climate and Energy, Pa Daly TD, has called on the government and the energy regulator to immediately rethink how network charges are set, following an announcement he said will add at least €41 to household bills. He said regulator‑mandated changes now amount to close to €550 on a typical annual bill.

The Kerry TD argued that ordinary consumers should not be left to shoulder costs linked to accommodating major energy users, insisting data centres must contribute more fairly.

He added that Ireland's high energy costs are the outcome of policy choices by the current government rather than an inevitability.

Teachta Daly said: "The latest increase in network charges is yet another blow to households already struggling with the highest electricity prices in Europe. From October, the average household will be hit with a further €4 increase in electricity bills, following previous increases of around €30 last year and approximately €100 the year before.

"At a time when households are already crippled by the cost of living, the Government is once again asking them to shoulder a bigger burden.

"This latest hike poses a fundamental question that SInn Féin has been asking for years now: Why are households being forced to pick up the bill for a grid that is increasingly expanded to meet the demands of large-scale data centres?

"The figures are stark. CSO figures show that data centres are now using 23% of the electricity generated in Ireland.

"Their latest report, which shows that electricity consumed by Data centres has risen by 1% since last year, and 18% since 2015, follows a number of recent reports that have highlighted the severe issues with data centres in Ireland.

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"Electricity consumption from data centres has grown every year without exception, doubling between 2015 and 2019 from 1,240 GWh to 2,490 GWh, and tripling between 2019 and 2025 reaching 7,663 GWh. That is more than a sixfold increase in over a decade and it is totally unsustainable.

"These figures expose the deep unfairness at the heart of Ireland's energy system. Ordinary households are being told that rising network charges are necessary to pay for grid upgrades and new infrastructure. Yet many of these upgrades are being driven by the huge increase in electricity demand from data centres. Families are effectively being asked to subsidise infrastructure required by some of the wealthiest multinational corporations on the planet.

"This is not sustainable and it is not fair. The Government's failure to tackle the issue is becoming increasingly indefensible. Data centres are placing enormous pressure on the grid, threatening energy security, driving up costs and competing for scarce electricity capacity that should be prioritised for homes, communities and indigenous businesses. Experts, including some of the government's own officials, have repeatedly warned that unchecked demand from data centres is not only creating serious challenges for housing delivery and electricity infrastructure, but it is also costing us millions. For example, a recent report from Friends of the Earth found that data centres added around €715 million onto household energy bills between 2015 and 2023.

"According to the research, if the world faces another energy price shock over the next few years, and we keep allowing data centres to expand, households in Ireland will face an additional cost of €1.6 billion. This represents the loss of hundreds of millions of euros from household incomes across Ireland due to policies which prioritise one industry above all others.

"Sinn Féin has a plan to change this. First, we want to move away from the current 'first come, first served' approach to grid access is because we believe it is failing the public interest. Therefore, I have brought forward legislation to introduce a Grid Prioritisation Framework that puts households, housing developments, public infrastructure and strategic economic needs first.

"Most importantly, we need a fair overhaul of network charges. The principle should be straightforward – those who drive the greatest demand for grid investment should pay their fair share of the costs.

"Ireland's energy rip off is not inevitable. It is the result of decades of deliberate political choices by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. There is a better, fairer, way.

"Irish families should not be expected to bankroll the expansion of data centres through ever-higher electricity bills while struggling with the cost of living. It is time for the Government to stop protecting vested interests and start standing up for households. The public interest, energy affordability and the delivery of homes must come before the corporate bottom line."