Work to increase the use of timber in construction in Ireland has entered the "next phase" with the first meeting of a group tasked with delivering on this government ambition taking place.

The group is made up of representatives from lead government departments, state bodies and agencies responsible for delivering the seven priority recommendations from a report by the Timber in Construction Steering Group. 

Coordination meetings are chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), providing an opportunity for leads to collectively identify pathways and overcome potential barriers. 

Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Niall Collins welcomed the gathering, stating:

“This first meeting marks the next phase in the government’s ambition to accelerate the safe use of timber in construction in Ireland.

“The task now is to implement the recommendations and build on the extensive work carried out by the Timber in Construction Steering Group while maintaining momentum towards increasing the use of sustainable wood and mass engineered timber construction in Ireland.”

The report’s recommendations were:

Develop national specification for the use of mass engineered timber (MET);
Establish an interim national centralised procurement arrangement of competent specialist advisers to support compliance with building regulations;
Lead by example at government-level, designing and building in timber;
Set embodied carbon targets and require whole life cycle assessments at design stage and within procurement processes;
Support the establishment of a Timber Knowledge Development and Innovation Facility;
Support the integration of timber as a fundamental component in the curriculum in architecture and engineering;
Incentivise an increase in MET construction.

According to DAFM, the reports and studies produced by the Timber in Construction Steering Group "represent a step towards providing practical guidance and action for the sector".

Two studies supporting the use of mass engineered timber and development of national specification have been published as part of a MET Study for Ireland:

'State-of-the-art Review of Irish and International Standards and Guidance';
'Recommendations for a National Technical Specification'.

The group’s chair leading these studies, Dermot O’Donnell said: “These two reports provide a strong evidence base, and a clear practical pathway for the safe responsible adoption of mass timber in Ireland.

“This work provides a foundation for greater confidence and certainty across the sector, supporting the increased use of mass timber where it can be delivered safely, sustainably and at scale.”The reports were submitted by the Timber in Construction Steering Group to the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) who have agreed to develop a national technical specification.

The NSAI is now seeking expressions of interest to join a newly established Mass Engineered Timber technical committee to scope the potential for a national MET standard.