Why Ireland is running out of timber

Imported timber will start arriving from Scotland shortly just to keep sawmills operating

Emergency legislation is being moved through the Oireachtas to address the issue. Picture: iStock

The saga of stiffer EU environmental standards and a deluge of appeals against forestry licences looks like being brought to a sudden halt, as the government uses its majority to rush through emergency legislation before the timber industry runs out of native raw material.

When the legislation was introduced last week in the Seanad and passed on Friday night by the Upper House of the Oireachtas, Co Cork’s Senator Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) warned that the timber industry running out of raw material is already a reality.