The Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae has welcomed the timber in construction steering group's call for a "wood first" approach to national housing and infrastructure delivery.

Minister Healy-Rae welcomed the receipt of the steering group's one year progress report.

He said: "This is about using our heads and using what we have. Irish timber is one of the most sustainable, locally produced materials we have.

"Putting it at the centre of our housing strategy means faster builds, lower emissions, and real support for our forestry sector," Minister of State Healy-Rae added.

The steering group was established in November 2023, and brings together senior figures from government, industry, academia and the timber sector.

It's report made recommendations including a "wood first" procurement policy requiring timber and bio-based materials in publicly funded buildings, carbon reduction standards that will favour timber over concrete and steel, and greater integration of timber modules in engineering.

It has also recommended architecture education, and a national technical specification for Mass Engineered Timber (MET), and support for innovation, research, and a central knowledge hub on timber design and construction.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), 56% of all scheme houses built in 2023 are built using timber frame construction.

Minister Healy-Rae said: "If we want to build 30, 40 or 60,000 homes a year, we need quicker, more flexible solutions that create jobs at home.

"That means timber frame housing, built from wood grown, milled and manufactured in Ireland. Every timber house built is work for local sawmills, haulage firms, builders and tradespeople. That’s good for every rural county in Ireland," the minister added.

“We’ve planted the trees. Now let’s build the homes. This is a common-sense, climate-smart solution that supports rural jobs, cuts emissions and helps tackle our housing crisis. I will continue pushing for this approach across all public housing and construction projects,” the minister added.