Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2023
224. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the role of glue-laminated timber in the construction sector in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7787/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 new homes per year over the next decade.
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is used to describe a range of offsite manufacturing and innovative onsite techniques that provide alternatives to traditional building construction, including innovative systems such as cross laminated timber (CLT) and glue laminated timber (GLT).
All MMC systems must be of a high quality, comply with all requirements of the Building Regulations and have a 60 year durability. For new innovative products or systems, not covered by existing standards, compliance with the Building Regulations can be demonstrated by 3rd party certification by an independent approval body, such as National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Agrément.
In general, the promotion of MMC has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland as set out in Housing for All. Indeed, the Housing for All Action Plan Update, which was published on 2 November, reiterated this point and includes a new action to develop a roadmap with targets for increased use of MMC in public housing.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) has overseen the establishment of and chairs an interdepartmental MMC Leadership and Integration Group to support the coordination of initiatives to develop Modern Methods of Construction, including in relation to issues around public procurement, sustainability, housing and the education and skills agenda in the construction industry. My Department participates actively on this Group.
