John McGahon (Fine Gael)
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Those comments seem to indicate that tight regulations are restrictive. I mean, in terms of fire safety and insurance, and the existing building regulations, the regulations that were put in place over the last ten or 20 years have made it more difficult to build with timber and that is why there has been such a shift to 90% concrete use in the last number of years. We must re-calibrate and analyse why such a shift took place. Perhaps it was due to fire safety. However, it would be right for the Government to re-analyse things. In a changing world where we must reach targets by 2030 and retrofit, then hemp concrete would be really quick and easy to use.

My next question is on the proposed minimum energy performance standards by 2030 in terms of the building directives. So the proposal to introduce the minimum energy performance standards across the entire residential sector by 2030. What frameworks need to be put in place today to reach the standards by 2030?