Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 1357: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the varying policies of local authorities towards the construction of timber frame housing; and if his Department has a policy encouraging local authorities to develop such housing. [1423/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is open to local authorities to consider alternative methods of construction for housing projects as a substitute to the traditional masonry construction method provided such alternative construction methods comply with the building regulations and my Department's social housing design guidelines.

My Department published, for public consultation, an independent study in December 2003 on the use of timber frame housing in Irish conditions. The study acknowledges the potential for increased use of timber framed housing in Ireland and recommended that a number of pilot social housing projects should be developed using alternative methods of construction. My Department is in contact with a number of local authorities in this regard.