News

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, 9th March 2023

The Housing Agency announces five new appointments to its board

The Housing Agency has today (09.03.2023) announced five new additions to its board. The new five new board members joined following the retirement of three members and a recruitment campaign; and the number of board members has increased from 9 to 11.

The new additions to the board are:

• Carol Tancock, who has over 25 years’ experience working for leading European Financial Institutions and specialises in Commercial Real Estate/Infrastructure financing and portfolio management. 
• Dervla Tierney, a Chartered Accountant, a member of the Institute of Directors and a Social Entrepreneur. Ms. Tierney has specific knowledge and experience in finance, corporate governance, compliance and risk management.
• Eileen Gleeson, the former Director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive where she was responsible for delivering a response to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness for the Dublin Region (four Dublin Local Authorities) under the aegis of Dublin City Council. 
• Éadaoin Ní Chléirigh, who is Director of Development Operations with the Irish Council for Social Housing. Ms. Ní Chléirigh was previously CEO of Richmond Barracks, and oversaw the restoration, and its subsequent opening as a city museum in Dublin.
• Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive of Mayo County Council who has worked in the local government sector for 34 years in a variety of different roles and authorities.

Speaking today about the new appointments, Michael Carey, Chair of the board, said: "I am delighted to welcome five new members to the board of The Housing Agency. The new members bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise across a range of areas of importance when it comes to the delivery of housing and sustainable communities, namely in the areas of finance, accountancy, risk, and homelessness.

"It is also heartening to see that for the first time, the majority of our board members are women, which is a progressive step forward. We look forward to working with the new members over the coming years. The Housing Agency has a key role in terms of the future of the housing sector and is a valuable resource in delivering ' Housing for All'."

Further information on governance structure of The Housing Agency is available here: www.housingagency.ie/our-organisation.  

ENDS

Contact: Sorcha MacMahon / Áine Kenny, Alice Public Relations, Tel: 087-7585337 / 086-3920452, Email: media@alicepr.com

Notes to Editors:

• Three board members were appointed following a recruitment campaign by the Board Appointments Service; and two members were nominated by the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Irish Council for Social Housing, in line with statutory requirements.  

Carol Tancock

Carol has over 25 years’ experience working for leading European Financial Institutions and specialises in Commercial Real Estate/Infrastructure financing and portfolio management.  Currently based in Dublin, she has spent several years working overseas (London, Germany and Asia). She holds an MSc in Investment and Treasury from DCU and completed the Diploma in Corporate Governance with the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School along with the Chartered Director Certificate and Diploma with the Institute of Directors Ireland.  She served on the Board of Co-operative Housing Ireland from 2017-2022 and was Chair of the Audit, Assurance and Finance Committee.

Dervla Tierney

Dervla is a Chartered Accountant, a member of the Institute of Directors and a Social Entrepreneur. Dervla has specific knowledge and experience in Finance, Corporate Governance, Compliance and Risk Management. She is also a Director of Middletown Centre for Autism, Wexford Local Development and The Enniscorthy Forum, which are non-profit organisations that support educational, social, economic and sustainability goals across the community.

Dervla also has voluntary roles as Chair of the Ferns Diocesan Safeguarding Committee, a member of the Credit Committee of the local credit union in Enniscorthy, and in community/ stakeholder engagement in projects aimed at developing the potential of the town.

Eileen Gleeson

Eileen Gleeson is the former Director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive where she was responsible for delivering a response to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness for the Dublin Region (four Dublin Local Authorities) under the aegis of Dublin City Council.  A career public servant she worked with Dublin City Council for over 40years until her retirement in January 2021.

Eileen held several key leadership roles in the Local Authority throughout her career and spent over 30years in Housing Services. She was instrumental in ensuring the expansion of the Approved Housing Body Sector in the delivery of Social Housing in Dublin City.

Eileen is a Board member of Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority since its establishment in February 2021.

Éadaoin Ní Chléirigh

Éadaoin Ní Chléirigh is Director of Development Operations with the ICSH, with responsibility for internal operations, the ICSH development team and its work with the wider membership.

She oversees the work of the ICSH Finance Working Group and has been centrally involved in supporting ICSH members and AHBS in meeting commitments under Housing for All as well as representing the ICSH on the Cork and Galway housing delivery fora.

Prior to the Irish Council for Social Housing, Éadaoin was CEO of Richmond Barracks, a Dublin City regeneration project. Having proposed the Barracks as a social regeneration project, she oversaw the restoration, and its subsequent opening as a city museum in Dublin.

Éadaoin has a long track record in community development and was CEO two Dublin City Council regeneration projects in Dublin’s south inner city. She has worked with the local authority, community interests and housing associations in the delivery of new social housing and refurbishment projects, as well as spearheading research and sourcing funding for a variety of  social projects in these areas. Eadaoin was a co-founder and manager for 10 years of Meitheal Development Ltd a successful management consultancy and training agency, working with numerous community and voluntary organisations throughout the country.

Éadaoin’s academic background includes, social policy conflict resolution and negotiation, and she holds a Masters in Mediation and Conflict Resolution from NUIM.

Kevin Kelly

A native of County Galway, Kevin is Chief Executive of Mayo County Council and has worked in the local government sector for 34 years in a variety of different roles and authorities including Dublin County Council, Galway City Council, Laois County Council, Carlow County Council, Kildare County Council and more recently in Galway County Council where he held the position of Chief Executive between 2014 and 2021.

Previous posts held by Kevin include Director of Corporate Services and Human Resources, Director of Planning and Economic Development and Director of Community and Enterprise as well as Town Manager for Ballinasloe Town Council.

Kevin has been a member of a number of Boards including Galway Rural Development , Galway Cultural Development and Activity and Ireland West Airport and currently contributes to a number of national committees including as Chair of the CCMA’s Housing Building and Land Use Committee while he also Chairs the group tasked with the introduction of e-planning across all local authorities. Kevin holds a B.A. in Public Management.

About The Housing Agency

The Housing Agency supports the development of sustainable communities across Ireland. It works to meet the nation’s housing needs by:

• Rolling out new housing projects and co-ordinating programmes that can transform how we live. 
• Using data and research to provide evidence-based solutions.
• Advising the Government on housing policies.
• Collaborating with all those involved in the housing sector in Ireland to ensure we are working as effectively as possible. 

A State-funded body governed by an independent Board, The Housing Agency works mainly with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, local authorities and non-profit housing providers.

Follow The Housing Agency on Twitter: @HousingAgencyIE.

Join The Housing Agency's on the 8th February at 12pm for the launch of the Residential Satisfaction during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Ireland 2020 research report. This study is the third in the Housing Agency series National Study of Housing Experiences, Attitudes and Aspirations in Ireland. Previous reports were published in 2018 and 2019. The 2020 National Study of Housing Experiences, Attitudes and Aspirations in Ireland aims to measure householders’ satisfaction levels with homes and neighbourhoods, and also their future housing aspirations. The study took place in December 2020, ten months into the pandemic. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on householders was assessed through new questions.

The Housing Agency's research analyst Anne Murphy will provide an overview of the research and its key findings. Associate Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin, Ronan Lyons will provide a response to the research. 

You can register for this online event at this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_h8LZj7C7SMCgZmCrTQ669w

Anne Murphy

Anne Murphy joined the Agency as a Research Analyst in September 2020 and has worked on a range of research projects. The main focus of Anne’s work is the Agency’s behaviours and attitudes national survey series. Before joining the Agency, Anne managed a medical library, was an information specialist on systematic review teams and served for over a decade on a Health Research Ethics Committee.

Ronan Lyons

Ronan is an Associate Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin, where his primary research areas are housing markets, urban economics, and economic history. He is also a Research Associate at the Spatial Economics Research Centre in LSE and author of the Daft.ie Reports on Ireland’s sale and rental housing markets. 

He is an active contributor to the policy debate on housing in Ireland with many articles published in national media and is a familiar commentator to many in the sector. 

Why and how governments intervene in land markets; land value tax; public land leasing; and inclusionary zoning are just some of the topics set to feature in a new series of talks organised by The Housing Agency, The Land Development Agency, and the Geary Institute of Public Policy, UCD.

“Talking about Land” is a series of seven talks which will examine how governments in other countries intervene in the management of state lands and land markets to ensure there is adequate affordable housing supply. International experts will share their experiences with Irish practitioners and explore how they can apply their practices to an Irish context.  Each event will see an international speaker sharing a case study of land management in their respective country, followed by a speaker working in housing and land management in Ireland. 

The events will take place at 12pm on Tuesdays between early October and February 2023. The full programme is as follows:

The first session took place on Tuesday 4 October, 2022, 12pm-1pm. Speakers included Prof. Julie Lawson of RMIT University Melbourne, and Prof. Michelle Norris, Director of the Geary Institute for Public Policy, UCD. If you would like to rewatch the first session visit our YouTube channel. 

The second session took place on Tuesday 18 October, 2022, 12pm-1pm. Speakers included Silvia Hofer, Wohnfonds Wien and Niall Cussen, Office of the Planning Regulator. If you would like to rewatch the second session visit our YouTube channel. 

The third session took place on Tuesday 1 November, 2022, 12pm-1pm Speakers included Sami Haapanen, Helsinki City Council and Tom O'Donnell, Self-Organised Architecture Ireland. If you would like to rewatch the third session visit our YouTube channel. 

The fourth session took place on Tuesday 15 November, 2022, 12pm-1pm.  Speakers included Benjamin Davy, University of Johannesburg and Dearbhla Lawson, Land Development Agency. If you would like to rewatch the fourth session visit our YouTube channel. 

The fifth session took place on Tuesday 17 January, 2023, 12pm-1pm. Speakers included Professor Tony Crook, University of Sheffield and Damian Thomas, NESC.  If you would like to rewatch the fifth session visit our YouTube channel. 

The sixth session took place on Tuesday, 24 January, 2023, 12pm-1pm. Speakers included  Dr. Fabian Wenner (University of Munich) and Dr. Ronan Lyons (Trinity College Dublin). If you would like to rewatch the sixth session visit our YouTube channel. 

The seventh, and final session in the series took place on Tuesday, 7 February, 2023, 12pm-1pm. Speakers included John Wacher (Greater London Authority) and Daniel McLoughlin (South Dublin County Council). If you would like to rewatch the seventh session visit our YouTube channel. 

If you have any questions about the series, please contact training@housingagency.ie.

On the 11th January 2023, The Housing Agency in partnership with the Irish Architectural Foundation, organised an event entitled Unlocking Access & Inclusion. This event featured contributions from architectural and disability experts, who provided practical advise and information on how to promote independent living through design and policy. 

First to speak was Nicola Ryan. Nicola is a Grade 2 Conservation Architect and co-director of Studio Red Architects. She discussed her recently completed family’s home located in a co-housing development in Chapelizod. Her family home was designed around the specific needs of her son with autism, epilepsy, and mobility issues. Her excellent presentation brought to light the importance and possibilities of good design in supporting access and inclusion for all members of her family. 

Nicola was followed by Michelle Thunder, the CEO of Saint John of God Housing Association, which provides housing for people with intellectual disabilities, mental health issues and people who are ageing. Michelle spoke about the current model for housing for people with an intellectual disability in Ireland, the challenges for architecture and the solutions delivered by Saint John of God Housing Association. 

Shelly Gaynor spoke next. She has been a disability activist for over 20 years and has lived independently for the last 13 with support from personal assistants in the Fingal area. Shelly presented on how her own home has been adapted to promote independent living.

The final presentation was delivered by Annamie Pretorius, a South African born architect, living and working in Ireland since 2002. Annemarie discussed the Rowlestown social housing scheme, which delivered universal and age friendly designed housing. 

The Housing Agency is delighted to announce the winner of the 2022 Housing Agency Essay Prize competition. This prize is awarded to the most original student essay submitted for assessment as part of the Institute of Public Administration’s Professional Diploma in Housing Studies. This year’s winner is:

Holly Morrin for her essay ‘An Exploration of the Practicalities in Defining Potential Sub-County Housing Need and Demand Assessment Geographies for Ireland’.

In addition, there were two runner-up prizes awarded. These were:

Maria Griffin, for her essay ‘Living Together, Living Apart: The Treatment of Travellers within Housing Policy’

and

Wanita Maher, for her essay ‘Ageing in Place: Meeting the Housing Requirements of an Ageing Population’.

The Housing Agency would like to congratulate the winner and the runners-up on the quality of their essays, the originality of their research, and their engagement with public policy.

The Housing Agency is committed to supporting the education, training, and development of Ireland’s housing practitioners. For more information on the education and training options available for housing practitioners, please see housingtraining.ie. Information about the Institute of Public Administration’s Professional Diploma in Housing Studies, as well as other courses relevant to housing practitioners, can be found here and here.

One of the major challenges facing the Irish housing sector is ensuring sustainability. This includes sustainability of our housing finance models, sustainable communities and environmental sustainability.

Delivered in a hybrid format, The Housing Agency's Annual Conference 2022 explored these challenges in the November Housing Conference. This half-day event featured international and Irish expert input, followed by questions and discussion.

Watch the conference in full

Read the conference report

The conference presentations can all be downloaded from the list below:

Session 1: Financial Sustainability

Chair: David Silke –The Housing Agency

• Josh Ryan Collins – Associate Professor in Economics & Finance, University College London
• Michelle Norris – Director of the Geary Institute and Professor of Social Policy, University College Dublin
• Dermot O’Leary – Chief Economist, Goodbody

Session 2: Sustainable Housing, Sustainable Communities 

Chair: Claire Feeney – The Housing Agency 

• Gulnara Roll – Regional Advisor, UNECE
• Prof. Brian Evans – City Urbanist Glasgow
• Michaela Kauer – Director, Brussels Office of the City of Vienna
• Valerie Mulvin – Director, McCullough Mulvin Architects
• Ciaran Byrne – Director, SEAI

"Live in a bank, church or shop. It’s one solution to the housing crisis" - Housing Unlocked profiled in The Irish Times 

The Housing Unlocked exhibition by the Irish Architecture Foundation and The Housing Agency opens on 14th October at the Science Gallery, Dublin The exhibition features eight innovative architect-led solutions to help unlock housing in Ireland by addressing issues such as vacancy, density, regeneration, social inclusion and modern methods of construction.  

The exhibition and its submissions were profiled by Gemma Tipton in The Irish Times on Saturday 8th October. Speaking about the exhibition Tipton outlines how the ideas in Housing Unlocked are "practical", "ranging from grand plans to convert churches, former bank buildings and vacant shops, to small ideas for big change in rural towns, there is a lot to inspire". Bob Jordan, CEO of The Housing Agency outlines the agency's involvement and his hopes for the exhibition:

"Set up in 2012, the agency is tasked with 'delivering sustainable and affordable housing for us all” and Jordan wants to make the most of all opportunities. “If it ended with the exhibition, I’d be extremely disappointed,' he says. 'The exhibition is saying: here are the ideas that we think can be carried forward, that can have an influence on our housing system. There is an opportunity in every town and village and city in Ireland to do something with some of the ideas that are here,' he concludes."

To read the article in full please visit The Irish Times website. 

For more information on the exhibition and submissions please visit the Housing Unlocked website. 

Multi-unit developments (MUDs) are estates where an owners’ management company, or OMC for short, is responsible for maintaining shared facilities such as gardens, amenity spaces, halls, corridors, and parking. These managed estates are often apartment buildings or duplexes, but they can also be townhouses or stand-alone houses that share common facilities. These communities rely on OMCs for them to be successful and sustainable.

With the increasing number of apartments, MUDs, and OMCs across the country, The Housing Agency is holding evening information meetings for stakeholders, including residents, owners, and directors of OMCs.

The meetings will cover:

• Challenges faced by OMCs & managed estates
• Roles and responsibilities
• Resources available
   

Events will be held at:

Clayton Hotel, Sligo
Tuesday, 25 October

Chartered Accountants Ireland, Dublin 2
Tuesday, 8 November

Boyne Valley Hotel & Country Club, Drogheda
Tuesday, 15 November

Glenroyal Hotel & Leisure Club, Maynooth
Tuesday, 22 November

Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone
Monday, 28 November

Attendance is free of charge, but registration is required.

Please register by clicking on your preferred location above, through Eventbrite, or by email to MUD@housingagency.ie.

Evening Programme

6:45pm     Registration (tea/coffee provided)
7pm          Presentation from the Housing Agency
7:30pm     Open forum
8:30pm     Closes

Information and Resources on OMCs and MUDs

Previous events in the series took place in:

• Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown Town Centre, Dublin | Wednesday 15 January 2020
• Red Cow Moran Hotel, Dublin | Wednesday 29 January 2020
• Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport | Wednesday 5 February 2020
• Lord Bagenal, Leighlinbridge, Carlow | Wednesday 12 February 2020
• Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cork | Wednesday 19 February 2020
• Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick | Wednesday 26 February 2020
• Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan, Dublin | Wednesday 4 March 2020

The Housing Agency were asked to speak at the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials' (NAHRO) conference in September 2022. To discuss the topic of the impact of Covid-19 on housing in Ireland, we prepared a video. 

This video provides insights from Bob Jordan, CEO, Rob Lowth, National Director for Housing First and Julie Davis, Local Authority Services Team. They discuss the housing measures that were introduced to help support people during the pandemic such as the eviction band and rent freeze. Bob Jordan also covers the supports that have been maintained and the important work carried out in Ireland to support homeless people during the pandemic. Julie Davis discusses how stakeholders worked together to deliver the new National Housing Strategy for Disabled People. Finally, Rob Lowth outlines how Housing First programmes continued to provide important supports and services to some of the most vulnerable people in Irish society during this time. 

PRESS RELEASE 

Wednesday, 28th September 2022 

The Housing Agency welcomes Budget measures which will “increase housing delivery, improve affordability and support the most vulnerable” 

The Housing Agency, the government body working to support the delivery of housing, has today (28.09.2022) welcomed the housing measures announced as part of yesterday’s Budget 2023. According to The Housing Agency, these measures will “improve affordability, increase the supply of homes and provide support to the most vulnerable in our society.” 

Commenting on yesterday’s announcement, Bob Jordan, CEO of The Housing Agency, said: “The central role of The Housing Agency is to provide expertise and solutions to help deliver sustainable communities with high quality and affordable homes to meet the nation’s housing needs. Yesterday’s announcements are another important step in delivering on the commitments set out in Housing for All.  

“The Housing Agency plays a significant role in the provision of affordable housing. It has managed the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme since its introduction in early 2021, and we welcome the commitment by the Government to deliver a further 1,850 cost rental homes using CREL and other delivery mechanisms in 2023. Similarly, we welcome the continued investment in providing affordable homes to purchase.”  

“The new vacant property tax is designed to encourage better use of the existing housing stock by bringing vacant homes back into occupation. The Housing Agency welcomes this measure. We will continue our role in addressing vacancy through our central advisory service on compulsory purchase orders and providing advice to local authorities on the Town Centre First programme, which will combat vacancy and dereliction in towns and villages across Ireland.  

Protecting the vulnerable in society  

The Housing Agency includes the National Office for Housing First, which is a government programme that works to support people experiencing long-term homelessness and those with complex needs. Commenting on yesterday’s 10 per cent increase in funding for homeless services, Rob Lowth, the National Director for Housing First said:  

“It is crucial the most vulnerable in Irish society are protected and provided with appropriate and sustainable homes and supports. Yesterday’s increase shows a firm commitment by the Government to reduce homelessness and eradicate rough sleeping.”  

“Importantly, the budget also provides €219 million to fund programmes and supports for disabled people, older people, and Travellers. Earlier this year the Government published the new National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 – 2027 which was prepared with the assistance of The Housing Agency. The implementation plan for this strategy is expected shortly.”  

Minister O’Brien also announced that he had brought a memo to Government on the recently published report of the Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing. An inter-departmental and agency group is being established to bring forward specific proposals to Government by the end of the year. The Agency looks forward to engagement in relation to the steps announced by the Minister.  

Mr. Jordan concluded, “The Housing Agency welcomes Budget 2023, which continues to build on the success of Housing for All. We look forward to working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, local authorities, approved housing bodies and all our stakeholders to provide affordable, high-quality housing and sustainable communities for all.”   

ENDS