Data centre developments account for nearly 5% of all job postings on the Indeed hiring platform, doubling their share since 2019 and outstripping rates across ten European countries analyzed by the firm. Pawel Adrjan, Senior Director of Economic Research for EMEA and APAC at Indeed, stated that this hiring wave represents a rare growth sector in tech-adjacent employment while broader tech postings face ongoing downward pressure.
European Salary Premiums and Irish Market Surge
European employers offer higher pay for data centre roles compared to identical occupations in other sectors, according to Indeed’s research. Installation and maintenance workers tied directly to facility sites command the largest compensation premiums. Ireland leads the European trend, with nearly 5% of job postings mentioning a data centre, representing roughly double the platform’s historical baseline.
The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities lifted an effective moratorium on new grid connections in December, permitting new data centre construction provided facilities meet at least 80% of their annual energy demand through new renewable electricity sources.
Economic Contributions Versus Energy Consumption Concerns
A government-commissioned report published in June, produced at a cost of €100,000, details the sector’s broader financial impact. The study claims that since 2010, data centres have added €22 billion to the Irish economy, generated 17,000 additional jobs, and yielded €2.8 billion in tax revenue.
Environmental groups counter these economic figures by pointing to escalating power usage. Data centres accounted for 23% of total metered electricity consumption in 2025, rising from 22% in 2024 and just 5% in 2015. Projections indicate that sector energy consumption will reach nearly one-third of national electricity demand by 2030.
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