Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 21 May 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion

Ms Sarah Neary:

In the construct of the regulations, we have the technical guidance documents, which are geared towards non-complex buildings. In timber construction, there is a limit in the technical guidance of four storeys effectively, that is, the 10 m or 11 m mark for the top storey. That represents more than 90% of building in Ireland, and while we are moving towards higher and medium-rise buildings, the guidance and the information to date in technical guidance documents is geared towards common, non-complex buildings. In light of that, the move towards sustainable products and the decarbonisation of the construction industry, the timber and construction steering group was set up. It is an interdepartmental and industry group-----