Many congratulations to Dr. Calum Maclaren, who passed his viva at UCD with no corrections today!
Calum’s PhD was on climate litigation and corporate accountability.
With special thanks to the exam committee: Tim Bleeker of VU Amsterdam, Amy Strecker, and Amanda Byer!
@ucdschooloflaw.bsky.social
![According to Irish Water, as of 2021, data centres across Ireland drank about 810 megalitres of water from the public mains a year – which is about 0.13 percent of overall national supply.
But that same year, Meta reported that it withdrew 928 megalitres of water for its data centres in Clonee in Meath. Planning documents say that it was to rely on water from the mains.
That’s more than Irish Water said was consumed overall in the country that year.
A spokesperson for Irish Water said on 19 June [2026] that it couldn’t lay out its methodology behind the 810 megalitres figure – or give more up-to-date figures on water use by data centres, since the AI boom.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:sjznb6msdsbogkbwdorupxz3/bafkreia6pcrfbgpds4s7waaniamogy73earjmu3xzts4mlbj6cet57i4pa)
![First page of judgment in Coolglass Wind Farm v An Bord Pleanála [2025] IEHC 1](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:sjznb6msdsbogkbwdorupxz3/bafkreibuf6f55ncbrllxwbxjdjs5ov7ritsxlcemf4b3hhypwx7o2m2jea)