Apple scraps $1 billion Irish data center over planning delays

Reuters ^ | May 9, 2018 | Reuter's Staff

[Swordmaker]

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Apple ditched plans to build an 850 million euro ($1 billion) data center in Ireland because of delays in the approval process that have stalled the project for more than three years, the iPhone maker said on Thursday.

Apple announced plans in February 2015 to build the facility in the rural western town of Athenry to take advantage of green energy sources nearby, but a series of planning appeals, chiefly from two individuals, delayed its approval.

Ireland’s High Court ruled in October that the data center could proceed, dismissing the appellants who then took their case to the country’s Supreme Court.

[FatherofFive]

Luddites.

[robroys woman]

There are gonna be some ticked Irishmen over this. Their government screwed them.

[Swordmaker]

Apple drops planned $1 Billion Irish datacenter due to two individuals continual blockages of planning process. —PING!

Apple Irish Data Center Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[DannyTN]

I hate when I have to write off $1 billion.

[Responsibility2nd]

A dollar chasing a dime.

Here Apple wants to save a dime by going with green energy. But how many millions of dollars have they wasted with these planning delays?

[freedumb2003]

>>I hate when I have to write off $1 billion.<<

Yeah, February sucked for me that way.

[pepsionice]

Athenry is a town on the western end of Ireland....maybe 3,000 to 4,000 residents. It would have reset employment for the town. Local news reporting says this court action was attributed two private individuals, who were a bit shocked in court when Apple just said ‘enough’ and the case could end because they wouldn’t open the operation there.

Knowing Irish folks....if I were the two guys, I’d pack my bag and try to quickly leave the community. Locals probably won’t take this well. In my humble opinion....I think the two expected to be paid off eventually to settle. Maybe Apple offered them something....maybe nothing.

[2banana]

And yet no names or what they did.

Great reporting.

+++++

chiefly from two individuals, delayed its approval.

[Swordmaker]

Thanks for the head’s up.

[tennmountainman]

Apparently Ireland did not want the center.
Oh well. They still grow great potatoes.

[Jim W N]

The free market creates wealth, but government creates poverty, the bigger the government, the greater the poverty.

It doesn’t seem to matter that socialist, tyrannical, bloated government is an historical and current study in abject failure - the world keeps going with it instead of freedom and limited government.

STUPID!

[Swordmaker]

Here Apple wants to save a dime by going with green energy. But how many millions of dollars have they wasted with these planning delays?

Apple makes a profit selling surplus energy into the grid from the power plants it owns and the solar power co-generation it has on every one of its plants. They aren't losing on it.

This is the only planning delay that may be related to "green" energy I know of. Most planning delays are pure NIMBY delays from people who are just anti-change in their towns/neighborhoods. These two people who have blocked this continually have just been more effective than most. Most communities have bent over backwards to attract Apple to their area because it brings investment and jobs. Apple often doubles or triples the tax base of an entire county when it builds there.

[butlerweave]

What , couldn’t go to the Pub for the Planning

[CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC]

A little digging turns up the fact that the two "objectors" are:

• "US environmental engineer Allan Daly" who currently lives in Ireland, but still does most of his Cosultancy business in the US.
• His Irish "solicitor" ... ie a lawyer.

Well now, this makes things a bit clearer, eh?

[pepsionice]

Based on local news reporting, virtually every single person in this town was pro-Apple. This case was led by only two guys. What the court system kept doing...was giving them a platform for appeals. The last straw was the court saying after they’d awarded the position to Apple...they then allowed the two guys to appeal once again.

The amusing piece to this...the court then said after Apple announced that they wouldn’t continue the case or the project....that the court would continue the appeal anyway. Journalists said that virtually no one in the court could see a reason to continue the appeals part of this episode.

My guess is that Apple will go to Poland, to ensure a fairly quick process and no opposition.

[Harpotoo]

Bring it here!

[Swordmaker]

Knowing Irish folks....if I were the two guys, I’d pack my bag and try to quickly leave the community. Locals probably won’t take this well. In my humble opinion....I think the two expected to be paid off eventually to settle. Maybe Apple offered them something....maybe nothing.

There have been cases before where barratry has been used in hopes of getting Apple to pay the person bringing the delays. Apple will not pay. They know if they knuckle under even once it will engender even more such cases. They would rather take the largesse they can bring to a community elsewhere than keep delaying the project. Three year's was enough.

[Vince Ferrer]

President Trump has repeatedly directed his cabinet to simplify permitting and approval of projects.