Ireland's Housing Magazine 2020
The 2020 edition of Ireland’s Housing Magazine comes at an unprecedented time. The Covid-19 pandemic is going to change how we live forever. One major change is to our housing. More people have begun working from home, a trend that may continue for the foreseeable future. We need to design our housing and communities so that they can facilitate this. Our approach to housing may need to change, potentially focusing more on the provision of shared facilities in communities that people can use to support this new way of working.
22nd July 2020
Time for a long-term housing plan The 2020 edition of Ireland’s Housing Magazine comes at an unprecedented time. The Covid-19 pandemic is going to change how we live forever. One major change is to our housing. More people have begun working from home, a trend that may continue for the […]
22nd July 2020
Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien TD entered The Custom House as the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on 27 June 2020. The new Minister is faced with the challenge of delivering upon the myriad Programme for Government commitments aimed at resolving the housing and homelessness crises, a task which […]
22nd July 2020
Ireland will face many challenges over the next 20 years. One is clear — a likely recession triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. As we know, recessions can have devastating effects on a country’s people, setting back key investment, often to the detriment of the most disadvantaged, writes John O’Connor, CEO […]
22nd July 2020
Following the formation of the grand coalition three-party government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party, Fine Gael TD Peter Burke has been appointed Minister of State for Local Government and Planning. The Housing Magazine profiles the first-time portfolio holder. Burke first won his seat in the Longford-Westmeath […]
22nd July 2020
Against a backdrop of the ongoing housing crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and a new government, Respond housing association and service provider is firmly committed to its dual strategy of ‘building homes, improving lives’. Ciarán Galway engages with CEO Declan Dunne to discuss priorities, passion and progress. As one of Ireland’s […]
22nd July 2020
While some have criticised what they perceive to be vague commitments, scant detail and broad continuity with Rebuilding Ireland, others within the housing sector have cautiously welcomed the Programme for Government (PfG) agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party. Does the document mark a new departure for […]
22nd July 2020
Dublin City’s housing programme across all schemes in our supply pipeline scales to over 11,400 units and represents an estimated investment of €3.4 billion. A key challenge is to ensure we make places where communities thrive, Head of Housing Policy, Research and Strategy Dáithí Downey writes. How well we live […]
22nd July 2020
More than any other policy area, housing dominated discourse during General Election 2020. As the new Government sets its course, many within the housing sector have cautiously welcomed its rhetoric, though it has not escaped criticism. Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin engages with Ciarán Galway to outline his […]
22nd July 2020
With the beginning of construction on Social Housing Public Private Partnership (PPP) Bundle 1 in March 2019, the PPP programme began its long road to the delivery of around 1,500 social housing units spread across three bundles. PPPs play a notable role in the delivery of new build social housing […]
22nd July 2020
Castlehaven Finance provides bridging facilities for site purchases, enabling developers to move more quickly on-site acquisitions, as well as working capital finance for development. Castlehaven Finance was founded by Clark McCann and Will Aylmer in 2014, in response to the need for alternative development financing in the Irish marketplace, given […]
22nd July 2020
There has been much focus in recent months on what the ‘new normal’ will look like for Ireland once we are through the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is particularly pertinent in the housing sector of the economy, where prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, a severe supply demand […]
22nd July 2020
In 2018, Eurostat, the EU’s statistics office, and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) deemed 14 of Ireland’s largest approved housing bodies (AHBs) to be part of the general government sector, a decision that has caused frustration in the realm of AHBs ever since but there is new hope that frustration […]
22nd July 2020
As one of Ireland’s leading Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), Clúid Housing is proud to continue delivering quality housing and services in these challenging times. The organisation remains focused on supporting residents across the country and committed to delivering more social housing. Clúid identifies its robust, established partnerships as the key […]
22nd July 2020
For both the public and the media, meaningful metrics are needed so we can see how society is changing, it is why we do a census every five years, but also to evaluate the performance of politicians and policymakers. Senior lecturer in housing at The Technological University Dublin, Lorcan Sirr […]
22nd July 2020
Amidst the tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ongoing housing crisis facing Ireland has been further highlighted, as those left on housing waiting lists and/or living in unsuitable accommodation were even more vulnerable to the risks of the disease. Beauchamps Partner and Head of Housing, Fidelma McManus writes. Over the […]
22nd July 2020
The unprecedented housing and homelessness crisis in Ireland is having a profound impact on ‘Generation Rent’, the wellbeing of children, homelessness, worsening wider inequality and threatening the economy. Rory Hearne, assistant professor in social policy with Maynooth University synopsises his recently published book, Housing Shock: The Irish housing crisis and […]
22nd July 2020
The Housing Alliance is a collaboration of six of Ireland’s largest Approved Housing Bodies: Circle Voluntary Housing; Clúid Housing; Co-operative Housing Ireland; Oaklee Housing; Respond; and Tuath Housing. Approved housing bodies are not-for-profit organisations with a social purpose to provide for people’s housing needs. Working closely with government, local authorities […]
22nd July 2020
Two research reports produced by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) illustrate a county-level analysis of housing affordability and house price sustainability, with the revelation that first time buyers in the Greater Dublin Area spend more than 30 per cent of their income per month on mortgages among the […]
22nd July 2020
The housing and homelessness charity Threshold offers advice and advocacy to keep tenants in their homes. Its CEO John-Mark McCafferty speaks to the Housing Magazine about the organisation’s vision, the Covid-19 restrictions on evictions and the Programme for Government (PfG). Threshold is different from other housing and homelessness charities. “Our […]
22nd July 2020
How does Ireland’s private rental market compare with those in other European countries in relation to its policy context and dispute resolution framework? Ireland Context: In Q1 2019, 356,500 dwellings were privately rented in Ireland an increase of almost 15,000 on Q1 2018. Almost one-fifth (19.1 per cent) of Irish […]
22nd July 2020
Clanmil Housing Association Ireland has experienced an annual growth of over 50 per cent in the last two years. CEO Michael Haynes speaks with the Housing Magazine about opportunities for further expansion and enhanced service delivery for tenants. “Over the next 12 months, we want to expand further. Clanmil has […]
22nd July 2020
Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the State subsidises rising rents for struggling tenants through direct payments to private rental sector landlords. Since its introduction, the social housing scheme has ballooned. Now, there are significant questions surrounding its value for money for the State. The Housing Assistance Payment is a […]
22nd July 2020
The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) was formally established in April 2019 on foot of recommendations made by the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (the Mahon Tribunal). Niall Cussen, Chief Executive and Planning Regulator speaks with the Housing Magazine. The Mahon Tribunal made 64 recommendations […]
22nd July 2020
Despite all of the recent widespread coverage of the housing crisis there appears to be confusion about what buying affordable homes actually means. Affordable housing is home ownership that people can afford. The experience of Ó Cualann is that many people still want to own their own home, but a […]
22nd July 2020
The European Commission has recommended that Ireland increase its provision of social and affordable housing by the end of 2021, recognising that shortages in social housing supply “remain a significant challenge” to fostering inclusion. The Commission made a number of recommendations for Ireland spanning improved accessibility to healthcare, addressing the […]
22nd July 2020
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has said that local authority tenants have had to endure mould, damp, defective heating, sewerage problems and rodent infestations in Irish social housing. The IHREC has also accused the State of a failure to ensure that housing is accessed in a timely […]
22nd July 2020
Fold Ireland is one of Ireland’s leading approved housing bodies providing housing, care and support to older people, families and those with complex needs. Fold Ireland is an approved housing body with charitable status led by a skilled voluntary board with experts from the private and public sectors. We work […]
22nd July 2020
The introduction of short-term rent freeze measures during the Covid-19 pandemic have reinvigorated calls for the new Government to bring proposed long-term policy in to law, however, both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael view such a move as potentially unconstitutional. In late 2019, a proposal to freeze rents on all […]
22nd July 2020
A new report from the Oireachtas’ Construction Sector Group provides an overview of trends within the sector, from productivity, growth, costs and the sector’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The report found that the recovery and growth of the construction industry has continued apace since 2014, with investment from both […]
22nd July 2020
Upgrading Ireland’s housing stock to minimise the greenhouse gas emissions from heating, lighting and appliance use and maximise the comfort and health of citizens is already a national priority. It is rapidly becoming an imperative. Jim Scheer, Head of Policy Insights with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), writes. Momentum […]
21st July 2020
Circle Voluntary Housing Association (VHA) is a general need approved housing body (AHB) providing quality housing for those on local authority housing waiting lists and have been providing homes for families in Ireland since 2003. Originally a Dublin based AHB, with a niche specialism in owners’ management companies (OMC) and […]
21st July 2020
The 2010s were something of a lost decade for housing in Ireland. The recession and the austere recovery from it saw the housing market’s complexion completely change, while record numbers for homelessness, house prices and rents were all recorded. Rent prices “Still a renter’s market, as supply outpaces demand”; the […]
21st July 2020
Local authority housing provision is an area of vast opportunity in responding to Ireland’s housing crisis. The Housing Magazine surveys international examples of what has been achieved at the local level across social housing provision, land use initiatives and rent control measures. Salford In England, October 2019 saw Salford City […]
21st July 2020
2019 marked the completion of the Oaklee Housing’s last Corporate Plan for 2016–2019. Sharon Cosgrove, CEO of Oaklee Housing, reflects on the successes of this four-year plan and looks to the future. Launched just a few months ahead of the previous government’s Rebuilding Ireland action plan for housing and homelessness, […]
21st July 2020
The National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy was developed as part of Pillar 5 of Rebuilding Ireland in an attempt to tackle one of the largest issues in the Irish housing market: the proliferation of empty houses throughout the country. May 2020 saw the release of the latest progress report on […]
21st July 2020
The delivery of social and affordable housing contributes to many public policy objectives as well as people’s quality of life and well-being. This article outlines some important economic and social impacts, with a particular focus on the not-for-profit housing sector. CEO with the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), Donal […]
21st July 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has posed unique threats and challenges to homeless services and people. Clusters have been reported among homeless communities and there have been warnings of a “wave of homelessness” when restrictions are lifted. The warning concerning the approaching “wave of homelessness” came from Mike Allen, Director of Advocacy […]
21st July 2020
In its Quarterly Economic Commentary for Summer 2020, the ESRI suggests short-to-medium term investment in the provision of social and affordable housing in order to stimulate the domestic economy, alongside sustainable infrastructure projects. The authors of the ESRI’s latest quarterly economic commentary, Kieran McQuinn, Conor O’Toole, Matthew Allen-Coghlan and Cathal […]
21st July 2020
Since 2018, Ritterwald has been developing its housing and real estate consultancy services across selected countries in Europe. Since the launch of its Certified Sustainable Housing Label in Dublin last October, Ritterwald has made further steps in entering the Irish and UK markets, write Ritterwald’s Business Development Director Ad Hereijgers, […]
21st July 2020
The Construction Information Services’ Q1 2020 Construction Activity Report provides an insight into the residential planning pipeline and the number of starts in residential construction, with apartment building growth pace outstripping that of housing growth. Planning permissions granted in the residential construction sector showed a 14 per cent year-on-year increase […]
21st July 2020
With uncertainty forecast for the coming months and even years, Sophia Housing is leading the way through its collaborative partnerships designed to support the most vulnerable and get value for the State in its long-term supported housing projects. For over 20 years, Sophia Housing has been crafting a model of […]
21st July 2020
Across the world, Airbnb has been abused by would-be ‘hoteliers’ and ‘professional’ sub-letters. The platform has grown to python-like proportions, constricting private rental markets in cities around the world, but what effect will Covid-19 have? Initially, Airbnb was conceived as a second revenue stream for people renting out their spare […]
21st July 2020
The Programme for Government document, otherwise known as Our Shared Future, features the words ‘retrofit(s)’ and ‘retrofitting’ a total of 23 times. Under the Green New Deal mission, the Government outlines its commitment to a National Retrofitting Plan. Retrofitting is process by which a more advanced technology is retrospectively fitted […]
20th July 2020
North & East Housing Association is launching a new Strategic Plan for 2020-2024, having delivered on our previous strategic objective of delivering 700 homes by the end of 2020, this has effectively seen the doubling of the housing in management since 2016. From its Incorporation in 1993, North & East […]
20th July 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic could act as a turning point in the fight against homelessness. Pat Dennigan, CEO with Focus Ireland writes. As the new Government looks out at our Covid-19-impacted economy and traumatised society, it may be tempting to think that there is at least one area where things are […]