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Microsoft asked state to prioritise data centres in event of fuel emergency

Newly released text messages show the tech giant asked the government to clarify that data centres would be protected in the event of fuel shortages

Microsoft: company’s top lobbyist said he had a ‘concern’ over the issue of on-site fuel generation for data centres. Picture: Naoise Culhane

Microsoft asked the government to prioritise data centres in the event of a shortage of diesel which necessitated fuel rationing, newly released records show.

Ciaran Conlon, the tech giant’s top lobbyist in Ireland, wrote to a senior civil servant in the Department of Enterprise in July to ask if data centres were included in the government’s plan to prioritise particular industries for fuel supply in the case of rationing.

Text messages between Conlon and David ...