The primary mechanism is the planning application process, through which developments are assessed against the policies and objectives of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028 and the requirements of planning and environmental legislation. Depending on the scale and nature of the proposal, applicants may be required to submit specialist technical assessments relating to matters such as air quality, noise, traffic, energy demand, water services, climate impacts and backup generation. Data centres are assessed against the policies and objectives of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028, including Policy EDE7 "Space Extensive Land Uses", which sets out criteria against which such uses are assessed.

Under the EIA Directives, developments that exceed specified thresholds, or sub-threshold developments considered likely to have significant effects on the environment, may be required to undergo Environmental Impact Assessment. Environmental Impact Assessments examine direct, indirect, secondary, cumulative, transboundary, short, medium and long-term, permanent, temporary, positive and negative effects, as well as interactions between those effects.

Where required, cumulative assessment may include consideration of air quality, noise, water demand, wastewater infrastructure, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, backup power generation and impacts on environmental receptors, having regard to existing, permitted and reasonably foreseeable developments within the wider area. Appropriate Assessment may also be required where there is potential for effects on European sites.

It should be noted that planning permission alone does not provide all of the consents necessary for a development to proceed. There are a number of other statutory consent processes and service agreements with statutory bodies that may need to be satisfied before development can be carried out.

The statutory responsibilities for water and electricity services lie with Uisce Éireann and ESB Networks/EirGrid. At planning application stage, applicants are required to demonstrate engagement with these bodies, including the submission of a confirmation of feasibility of connection from Uisce Éireann. Such bodies are also typically consulted, where relevant, as part of the planning assessment process.

In addition, certain facilities may be subject to licensing by the Environmental Protection Agency. In such cases, environmental emissions and operational controls may also be regulated through the EPA licensing regime. The planning and environmental licensing systems operate as separate but complementary regulatory frameworks, each with their own assessment, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.