1/2 Billion Euro Microsoft Centre Opens in Dublin

That’s a pretty significant investment in Dublin – focusing on Cloud Computing – 500$ million is significant investment – I’m sure there’ll be jobs to follow.

All good news, and one step in the "silicon valley Ireland" march.

Link: http://siliconrepublic.com/news/article/13933/cio/microsoft-opens-us-500m-mega-data-centre-in-ireland

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But again, as usual, the ‘quality’ of the investment is more important than the quantity. From the point of view of growing ‘silicon valley Ireland’ a 500m$ data centre is not necessarily better than a 50m$ investment in R&D, or 5m$ investment in early stage tech startups.

Sure, we’re better off having it than someone else, people will be paid to build it and run it, and there’ll be other ancillary knock-on benefits – but how much of that 500m$ figure is spent on construction, on energy, etc – stuff thats not really ‘tech’?
Maybe I’m being too harsh – but I just wish there was more focus (in reporting, in government, in discussion) on what the long term benefits will be, rather than the nice round dollar figure.