A new group that will explore the potential for greater use of homegrown timber in the Irish construction sector is to be established by the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Pippa Hackett.
Minister Hackett wants to hear from representative bodies, universities, industry experts and from professionals who would be interested in participating in the new working group.
It will be asked to examine conditions to increase the use of timber in construction, assess regulatory and standardisation challenges to greater use of timber in construction, and maximise the use of homegrown timber.
Timber in construction
Minister Hackett said: “We want to hear from professionals who have the knowledge and expertise to work together with relevant government departments and state agencies to examine how we can increase the use of timber in the Irish construction sector.”
The group will bring together a range of industry expertise and relevant government departments and agencies, with an independent chair.
DAFM will provide the secretariat to the group and a chair will be appointed once the group’s membership is finalised.
The minister said: “Right across Europe we are seeing increased use of timber as a reliable, sustainable material in the construction of large-scale buildings.”
The group will work towards increasing timber use for construction in Ireland and will “assess where the barriers are, and how they can be overcome”, according to Minister Hackett.
Working group
Meanwhile, the Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan, has confirmed that his department will also be involved with the new working group.
He added: “The role that products such as cross-laminated timber may play, as an alternative to intensive products such as concrete and steel, should be investigated thoroughly.
“Increasing the availability of alternative construction materials, while responding to pressing construction needs, is an important part of the measures needed for meeting our climate targets.”
The timber in construction working group will also include the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “The use of timber in construction is an important modern method of construction and helps to improve the delivery of new housing whilst at the same time increasing the sustainability of materials used.
“My department will actively participate in this group and I look forward to its outcomes which will support housing for all and climate action targets.”