Results 6,281-6,300 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I agree that we should be doing that but we do not at the moment. It is not a requirement. It is very easy to submit a planning application without doing so. All applicants are supposed to demonstrate how transport, infrastructure and services issues will be dealt with, but we still do not seem to have included a requirement on the carbon associated with the construction method and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Does Mr. O'Connor see an incentive to do that or to encourage people to account for and put a cost on that carbon for themselves?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Okay. I will continue with Mr. O'Connor on the Scottish model he was discussing in respect of timber. He said there may not be a market here. Did he mean there is no market demand for timber housing or that we do not have the throughput of timber product?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I am just out time on that. On the fire issue, and this is probably for the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office, as we start to remove fossil fuels as forms of heating and cooking in houses and buildings, that is likely to reduce fire risk. Does that make timber-frame material less of a fire issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. O'Connor. I am sorry; we are out of time on that slot. I thank Senator Boyhan. I will go now to the Social Democrats and Deputy Cian O'Callaghan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: We now move on to the next round of questioning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I have Deputy Ó Broin down for third round-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: -----I do not want to be rushing the answers. They are important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: There will be time. I call Deputy Flaherty, who will be followed by Deputy Duffy. After them, we will be into the third round.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Flaherty hit on a very good point about the volume of demolition that is going on. If there is any architecture or planning student seeking a thesis, they could have a look at that information that is out there. I will go now to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Yes. The forestry question for Mr. O'Connor was on the engagement with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Mr. O'Connor can take that as an invite.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I think Mr. Barry would have support for that from the members around the table. We discussed that issue which arose at the end of last week's meeting. Senator Boyhan will take the Independent timeslot. That will bring us into the third round of questions. Then we will hear from Deputies Ó Broin and Duffy. Will Deputy Duffy take the Chair for five minutes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: We will move on to the third round of questions. Deputy Ó Broin indicated he wanted to come back in. Does Duffy wish to come back in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Ó Broin can proceed and we have plenty of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the witnesses. I can bring Deputy Ó Broin back in again, but I will now ask some questions. At the outset, Senator Fitzpatrick asked about the cost of construction and if there are different methods of construction that would bring down the overall costs. There is more to costs than just the finance, as we are talking about carbon cost. Can we compare timber-framed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Can the industry not say what the cost would be to build a standard 1,300 sq. ft. house in conventional concrete, timber frame or through off-site prefabrication? Is there no way to quantify those costs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: Yes, in terms of how many euro.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I was going to come onto that question. I do not know if it just something in our psyche that we want houses built of concrete blocks. It is probably well thought-out. Do we use timber inside and concrete leaf outside for marketing reasons or is it a good construction method?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Carbon and Energy within the Construction Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (3 May 2022)

Steven Matthews: I was just trying to compare the methods in financial terms. To move on, is there a standout leader among them with regard to embedded carbon? Is it timber-frame construction?