The Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2024 brings together information provided by local authorities on households in their functional area that are qualified for social housing support but whose social housing need is not currently being met. It is a point-in-time assessment of the identified need for social housing support across the country.

Purpose of the Assessment: This is a statutory assessment to count the total number of households qualified for social housing support across the country on 4 November 2024, in order to better inform policy and plan for the delivery of the right types of housing support.

‘Net need’ or the total number of households qualified: This is the total number of households qualifying for social housing support whose social housing need is not being met. All the figures in this report are based on net need. The methodology used to produce these figures is outlined on pages 16-18.

Criteria: Households must be qualified for social housing support. Households currently living in local authority rented or Approved Housing Body (AHB) accommodation, or accommodation provided under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or the Social Housing Capital Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) or any household on a transfer list, are not included in the total number.

From 1 January 2023, an increase of €5,000 applied to all social housing income thresholds. These thresholds are now €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for Bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively (see gov - Social Housing Support: Table of Income Limits (www.gov.ie)- Opens in new window for full list of income thresholds by band and local authority).

Read the full report here - Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2024

When complete, Cherrywood in south Dublin will be the largest Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) in the history of the State with some 10,500 new homes accommodating a population of around 26,000 people.

As the largest undeveloped landbank in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) area, and the largest of all 11 SDZ projects in Ireland, Cherrywood SDZ presents unique challenges, particularly in coordinating significant infrastructure across multiple landowners.

A new Housing Insights paper by The Housing Agency examines the progressive steps taken by DLRCC and its key stakeholders to ensure that infrastructure is plan-led, phased and strategically provided to support Cherrywood's development.

It shows how physical infrastructure is key to unlocking land for development, including water and drainage facilities, transport infrastructure, utilities and waste management. Social infrastructure - such as parks, schools and other shared amenities - can then be provided in tandem with the physical infrastructure. Both types of infrastructure are key to realising the concept of a "10-minute neighbourhood".

Read the full report here - Housing Insights Issue 5 Supporting Sustainable Communities

The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics. From 2022, organisations with over 250 employees began reporting on their Gender Pay Gap. Now, organisations with over 150 employees are being asked to report on their Gender Pay Gap for the first time in 2024.

2024 is the first year that The Housing Agency will report on its Gender Pay Gap.

The gender pay gap is the difference in the average hourly wage of men and women across a workforce. The gender pay gap is not the same as equal pay. Employment Equality legislation provides for equal pay for like work. All male and female employees in The Housing Agency are paid equally for work that is the same or similar or for work of equal value, therefore this report does not examine equal pay.

Read the report in full here - Gender Pay Gap Report 2024.

Meaningful engagement with households is the greatest predictor of a successful Traveller-specific accommodation scheme, according to the authors of a new report.

The report, Good practice in the development and design of Traveller-specific accommodation, was commissioned by The Housing Agency to research and prepare draft guidelines on good practice on the appropriateness of location, scale and design of Traveller-specific accommodation, for the Minister at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The research was undertaken by a consortium led by desiun Architects with the support of the Public Policy Advisors Network.

 The report’s authors make a number of recommendations, including that funding should be provided for early, meaningful and consistent engagement with Travellers in the planning and development of Traveller specific projects.

This engagement should be undertaken before design work commences and should continue during design development. A high degree of involvement from Travellers with the design development should be sought, as well as inputs for the management and maintenance of the site, and a strategy for allocations.

The report also recommends that new sites should be located where amenities are close by and, generally, not in peripheral or isolated locations.

Read the full report here - LINK

For many disabled people, independent living can be assisted with peer support.

Peer support is a supportive relationship between people who have shared experiences. It is based on the knowledge that disabled people are experts in recognising the barriers they face and the means in which such barriers can be tackled.

As part of the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People, The Housing Agency has examined national and international examples of peer support models and explored what supports are currently available in Ireland and how, if necessary, they can be adapted or expanded to assist disabled people to live independent lives in their community.

The report, Peer Support Models, Examining models both nationally and internationally,  finds that the value of lived experience has been acknowledged as an integral component in assisting marginalised groups such as disabled people to live independently.

Read the full report here

The National Study of Housing Experiences, Attitudes and Aspirations in Ireland - Residential Satisfaction Report 2023 has been launched. 

The study measures householders’ satisfaction levels with their homes and neighbourhoods and investigates their aspirations for future housing.

The national study commenced its first wave in 2018, the second wave was conducted in 2019 and the third took place during pandemic restrictions in 2020.

The report presents the findings of a nationally representative survey of 1,212 householders in Ireland and qualitative focus groups, with a further 47 householders as part of the fourth wave of the National Study of Housing Experiences, Attitudes and Aspirations in Ireland.

You can read the report below:

National Study of Housing Experiences, Attitudes and Aspirations in Ireland

National Study of Housing Experiences, Attitudes and Aspirations in Ireland - Accessible version

Examination of innovation/ efficiencies in design of affordable housing is a report jointly prepared by The Housing Agency and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The report highlights how quality affordable housing can be most effectively delivered by demonstrating innovation and efficiencies in construction and design.

The research was carried out by Bucholz McEvoy architects.

Purpose of Report

This report serves as sequel to The Housing Agency report "Social, Affordable & Co-operative Housing in Europe", which featured case studies from Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark into innovations in design and construction of social, affordable and co-operative housing in Europe. 

The 12 Irish case studies are situated in Dublin, Galway and Limerick, encompassing small (up to 50 units), medium (50 – 150 units), and larger schemes (150 plus units). There are 4 additional EU case studies from Austria, France and the Netherlands which provide a broader perspective and alternative approaches to innovation and efficiencies in design. The report explores the case studies through 5 themes - Strategy, Layout, Materials, Delivery and Occupation. A specific project focus is included within each case study which provide insights into key design decisions or processes integral to the project’s development.

In addition, the report outlines two projects that highlight delivery methods and efficiencies for affordable housing through a comparison of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) on a live sample basis.

You can read the report in full here - Examination of innovation/ efficiencies in design of affordable housing

In October 2022, the Irish Architectural Foundation and The Housing Agency launched the Housing Unlocked exhibition. Running until mid-February 2023, this exhibition showcased eight innovative ideas to create more and better housing for our communities.
The exhibition garnered significant public and media interest and enthusiasm. Over24,000 people visited the exhibition, and 75 public engagement events were held.

The innovation shown at the Housing Unlocked exhibition showcases the talent within Ireland’s housing sector. This innovation can help Ireland meet its housing delivery targets as outlined in the government’s Housing For All programme. However, some changes to the Irish housing sector are required in order to introduce these solutions. They include new planning exemption classes; changes to planning guidelines; policy changes; engagement with stakeholders such as local authorities, central government and Transport Infrastructure Ireland; changes to building regulations; launching pilot schemes of projects; and fiscal support.

Housing Unlocked started with a single aim - to give people working in housing, primarily architects, an opportunity to showcase their expertise, by providing ideas to improve Ireland’s housing sector. The competition began with an Open Call which was launched in February 2022. Proposals were sought that provided practical ideas and creative thinking in the areas of vacancy, regeneration, compact growth, construction technologies and social inclusion. A jury of high-profile international judges selected eight winning submissions from the fifty-plus received. Each winning team received €7,500 in funding to develop their proposals into an exhibition piece.

This document outlines the eight projects and summarises the actions required to turn these ideas into a reality. We hope that this information can be useful to those working in the areas where such actions might be achievable. We welcome the prospect of continuing discussions with these parties and hope to be able to progress some or all of these wonderful ideas exhibited.

To read the full document please visit this link: Housing Unlocked - Making it Happen

The Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2022 brings together information provided by local authorities on households in their functional area that are qualified for social housing support but whose social housing need is not currently being met. It is a point-in-time assessment of the identified need for social housing support across the country.

Purpose of the Assessment: This is a statutory assessment to count the total number of households qualified for social housing support across the country on 1 November 2022,1 in order to better inform policy and plan for the delivery of the right types of housing support.

‘Net need’ or the total number of households qualified: This is the total number of households qualifying for social housing support whose social housing need is not being met. All the figures in this report are based on net need. The methodology used to produce these figures is outlined on pages 12-14.

Criteria: Households must be qualified for social housing support. Households currently living in local authority rented or Approved Housing Body (AHB) accommodation, or accommodation provided under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or the Social Housing Capital Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) or any household on a transfer list, are not included in the total number.

You can read the full report by visit this link: Summary of Social Housing Assessment 2022