Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 15 June 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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What the construction sector will actually generate in carbon emissions has been quantified. My main focus is on making sure that we are using more modern methods of construction, MMC. As I have outlined that, I will not repeat myself. We have to catch up on State-delivered housing. I agree with the Deputy on that. For example, timber-framed houses use timber. Some 48% of all homes being built now use timber. It is about 24% to 26% in respect of social housing. We have a gap to catch up on there. As I referred to earlier, that is why I brought in strict criteria for new social housing building, which has to use MMC. The Deputy is right that we need to catch up in that space. She has seen it in her own county. I know the issues are the quality of work being done, the quality of the build and the energy efficiency of the homes. As we ramp up our housing output, that obviously has an impact on carbon and we have to watch that carefully.