Mr. Des O'Toole:

I thank the Deputy. There is a question about how we get to 80%, and there are a few barriers. It is about creating a regulatory environment that supports the use of timber-based MMC. Some of our climate policies, building regulations and technical guidance documents do not necessarily fully align. It is evident that there has been an advance in part B of the latest technical guidance document, which closed for public consultation in recent weeks, but it appears to be becoming more prescriptive rather than performance-based, certainly in the language.

I will give one example. Deputy Higgins mentioned the height restriction. The draft technical guidance document in its current form, as it has been published for consultation, limits the use of combustible materials above 11 m to materials of class A2. That should apply to the linings but not the entire structure from which the wall elements are constructed. We need to look at some issues in the regulatory environment. Deputy Ó Broin mentioned the prioritisation of embodied carbon regulation earlier. We see that as essential. It must be fast-tracked. The draft energy performance of buildings directive looks set to bring in embodied carbon regulation for buildings that are more than 2,000 sq. m in approximately 2027 and for all buildings from 2030, but 2027 is four years away. Other jurisdictions have already brought this regulation in. Denmark is the most recent. It brought in CO2 limits for new buildings that are more than 1,000 sq. m in January of this year. It is advancing. I do not know where we are as regards bringing that legislation in Ireland, but we need to move fast.