Like the Government did with Tara Mines, it could expedite talks.

I raise with the Taoiseach today the issue of modern methods of construction to help alleviate our national housing crisis. We know that the Office of Public Works, OPW, is doing some good work at the moment, putting up modular housing around the country.

These are high-tech high-spec modular units but they are all single-storey bungalow-type accommodation. The vast majority of EU countries allow for multistorey modular housing. Entire apartment blocks can be built relatively quickly and safely to a high standard but, unfortunately, not in Ireland due to the building regulations. There is a case with the National Standards Authority of Ireland at the moment. Can the Taoiseach give any indication of when we will get a final decision from the National Standards Authority of Ireland so we can get on with building homes for people, which we all accept are desperately needed?

We had quite a long discussion on this at Cabinet today. A range of positive things is happening in terms of modern methods of construction. We will see much more social housing delivered using this technology - about 1,700 homes this year and next year - to show that this can be done cost effectively and produce quality homes while doing it. The Deputy asked about higher buildings using certain timber products and so on which are being used in other parts of Europe but not in Ireland. That requires some further work and we are looking to move quickly on that to ensure that that more sustainable and more efficient modern method of construction can be used here. It can already be used in two-storey buildings but for buildings with three storeys or more there are safety issues that need to be resolved.