Events

The Housing Agency presents a lunchtime webinar intended to provide insights into practical energy cost saving measures for multi-unit developments, and owners’ management companies. 

This event will be of interest to a wide audience- owners’ management companies, Approved Housing Bodies, property professionals, residents, local authority personnel, and other stakeholders in the multi-unit developments sector. 

Speakers

• Kate Joyce, Head of Sustainability and Strategic Projects, Túath Housing
• Nick Sheward, Director of Property Services, Túath Housing
• Alan Kavanagh, Managing Director Operations, IRES REIT Plc

Kate Joyce

Kate Joyce is Head of Sustainability and Strategic Projects with Túath Housing.  Kate has over 18 years’ experience across the property, investment, and asset management sectors.  She is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, TU Dublin, and DCU.  Kate is an Associate Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), holds a professional qualification in project management, and recently completed a master’s degree in public policy.

Nick Sheward

Nick Sheward is Director of Property Services with Túath Housing.  Nick has almost 35 years’ experience in construction and property, mainly in roles relating specifically to the provision and management of social and affordable housing.  He plays a leading role in the delivery of property services to Túath’s housing stock.  This includes building up investment profiles, managing planned and cyclical programmes, and the delivery of a responsive repairs service.

Alan Kavanagh

Alan Kavanagh is Managing Director Operations with IRES REIT Plc, a provider of almost 4,000 private rented homes in Dublin and Cork.  Alan has held senior roles in the property and facilities management industry.  Alan is a member of The Institute of Directors, and a graduate of TU Dublin.

The webinar will take place at 12.30pm on Wednesday, 4 October 2023.

Registration is free of charge via this Zoom link - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EVlqwYVxS8SFuBLUWjjuvA

Questions may be emailed to MUD@housingagency.ie

The session will be recorded for future use.

Places are limited to 1,000 attendees on a first-come first-served basis.

By registering for this webinar you consent for the purposes of event management to the processing by The Housing Agency of your personal data (name and email address).

Disclaimer

Information provided during the webinar is general in nature. It should not be considered to amount to legal advice, and no reliance should be placed on it. The Housing Agency and webinar speakers cannot be held responsible for actions or failure to act on foot of the information provided. There may be other issues or circumstances that would influence the comments provided. Professional advice might be necessary on individual circumstances.

Today, September 13th, the Supports Guide for Young People was launched by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O'Brien at the National Homeless Action Committee. 

Background

The Youth Homelessness Strategy was launched in November 2022. This is the first Youth Homelessness Strategy in two decades and it sets out 27 distinct actions to prevent young people entering homelessness, to improve the experiences of young people in emergency accommodation and to assist young people to exit homelessness.

When the Strategy was being developed, a lot of people raised the issue of young people being unaware of exactly what supports were out there for them.

Action 27 tasks The Housing Agency with producing a guide setting out supports available for young people. This guide seeks to address this concern and intends to be a useful resource which is easily accessible to all.

The Supports Guide for Young People brings together information on accessing a range of supports and services including:

• Social Welfare and Financial Supports
• Housing Options
• Employment and Education Supports
• Health and Childcare Supports

Note on Homelessness:

If you are homeless, rough sleeping or at risk of becoming homeless, you need to contact your local authority office. Depending on your location and your circumstances, different support services may be available to you. These include emergency accommodation and temporary accommodation, as well as family hubs.

The Supports Guide for Young People is available in English and Irish and there is also an Easy-to-Read version. Additionally, there is a directory of all the supports and services that are included in the guide as well as additional supports and services that are available nationally.

Supports Guide for Young People

• Supports Guide for Young People
• Supports Guide for Young People - Easy-to-Read
• Supports Guide for Young People - Irish

Service Directory

• List of Support Services Directory
• Local Authority Directory 

You can find the guide above, or on our Publications webpage here Supports Guide for Young People

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.

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

To register your interest in attending the next Tenant Engagement Workshop please complete your information at the following link - register your interest.

Tenant engagement is an important part of international best practice in social housing policy. It includes activities ranging from the effective distribution of information among tenants, through to the involvement of tenants in housing management, governance, and ownership.

International research has demonstrated the benefits that accrue from tenant engagement policies, both for tenants and social housing providers. In Ireland, tenant engagement is a growing field. Some housing providers have invested in dedicated tenant engagement teams, but the principles and practices of tenant engagement are of relevance to all those working in social housing delivery and management.

The Housing Agency is collaborating with Supporting Communities, Northern Ireland’s Independent Tenant Organisation, to deliver a half-day workshop for Irish housing professionals working in the field of tenant engagement. The workshop will allow participants to explore best practice in tenant engagement, and consider the future direction of the field in Ireland.

The workshop will take place on Thursday 29 September 2022, from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

Please note that the workshop is a repeat of the workshop delivered in July 2021. It is aimed at those who were unable to attend last years workshop or those new to the field.

The workshop will:

• Provide examples of best practice
• Provide a discussion forum on the future of tenant engagement in Ireland
• Enable housing professionals working in tenant engagement to meet, network with and learn from peers in other organisations.

The Housing Agency in collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) presents a webinar introducing the SEAI’s new Electric Vehicle Apartment Charger Grant Scheme.

This event will be of interest to a wide audience- owners’ management companies, residents, property management professionals, and other stakeholders in the multi-unit developments sector. 

The one-hour webinar will take place at 12.30pm on Thursday 22 September 2022.

Registration is free of charge and is via this Zoom link-

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EH9VLksBQiCGjb1zYQSCLw

Questions may be emailed to MUD@housingagency.ie

The session will be recorded for future use.

Places are limited to 1,000 attendees on a first-come first-served basis.

By registering for this webinar you consent to the processing of your personal data (name and email address) by the Housing Agency and SEAI for the purposes of event management.

The Housing Agency’s Research Summer Seminar Series showcases new and interesting research on housing in Ireland conducted, or supported by, The Housing Agency. The series brings together a variety of academics, practitioners, and public servants. The series will be of interest to housing practitioners, academics, legislators, policy makers, academics, and all those working in the housing, local government, justice and equality sectors.

Session 2 focused on issues facing Local Authorities, and featured presentations on void management and tenant engagement. The first presentation was delivered by Jon Slade, Director at Campbell Tickell, and was entitled Empty Homes Performance - Can we do better. The second presentation was by Prof. Padraic Kenna of NUI Galway, and his presentation was entitled Tenant participation or tenant collaboration? Which way for Irish LA tenants.

You can re-watch this webinar on our youtube channel. 

Jon Slade is a Director for Campbell Tickell, one of the UK’s leading consultancies working on social housing issues. Jon leads on asset and housing management for CT and has been working on issues pertinent to empty homes performance for over 20 years.

Prof. Padraic Kenna lectures on housing law and housing rights, property and land law at NUI Galway, and has published some six books and over 50 journal articles on these topics. Previously, he  worked in housing as a practitioner at both local authority and housing association level in the UK and Ireland. Padraic is the Director of the Centre for Housing Law, Rights and Policy, engaging in housing law, rights and policy research at national and European level, publishing reports on key housing issues.

The first session of the Research Summer Series was on the topic of renting in Ireland and took place on the 9th of June. It focused on the private rented sector and featured insights from Dr. Richard Waldron, of Queen’s University Belfast, who discussed housing precarity and “generation rent" and Anne Murphy, Research Analyst at the Housing Agency, who looked at The Housing Agency’s national study of Irish housing experiences, focusing on the difference between renters and homeowners. You can watch the event back on our YouTube channel. 

The Housing Agency’s Research Summer Seminar Series will highlight new and interesting research in the area of housing in Ireland and will showcase research conducted, or supported by The Housing Agency. This series will bring together a variety of academics, practitioners, and public servants. The series will be of interest to housing practitioners, academics, legislators, policy makers, academics, and all those working in the housing, local government, justice and equality sectors.

There will be three lunchtime webinars as follows:

Session 1: Experiences of Renting in Ireland (took place on the 9th June)

The first session of the Research Summer Series is on the topic of renting in Ireland, with a particular focus of the private rented sector. This webinar will feature insights from Dr. Richard Waldron, of Queen’s University Belfast, who will discuss housing precarity and “generation rent.” Anne Murphy, Research Analyst at the Housing Agency, will look at The Housing Agency’s national study of Irish housing experiences, focusing on the difference between renters and homeowners.

You can watch the event back on our YouTube channel. 

Dr. Richard Waldron: Generation Rent

This presentation connects debates within the Generation Rent literature with more recent work on housing precarity, or the uncertainty arising from the experience of insecure, unaffordable and poor-quality housing. The article develops and applies a Housing Precarity Index (HPI) to data on private renters in Ireland to provide a nuanced account of the extent and severity of precarities in the Irish rental sector among differing sub-groups during a housing market crash and “recovery” period (2008 - 2016). The article identifies the key drivers of housing precarity and assesses their contribution to further declining living standards among renters into the future.

Richard Waldron is a lecturer in the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University Belfast. His research relates to the intersection of urban planning policy, housing markets and strategies of urban economic development. His work has been published in leading journals, including Housing Studies, the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research and Environment and Planning A.

Anne Murphy: The housing experiences and aspirations series: focus on renters 2020

This presentation will cover The Housing Agency’s national study series of Irish housing experiences, attitudes and aspirations, which has been running since 2018. It will share findings about renters’ housing experiences compared with owners, using the 2020 data.

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

Session 2 of the Research Summer Series will be held on the 28^th July and will relate to Local Authorities. This session will feature a presentation on Tenant Engagement from Dr. Padraic Kenna of NUI Galway, and a session on Void Management by Campbell Tickell. You can register for this event here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c1sINDSHTdeAzcLYTVqF7A

The third session of the Summer Series will be held on the 15^th September. More details to follow.

The Housing Agency, in collaboration with The Law Society of Ireland, recently presented a webinar delivering insights into the Housing for All actions to reform owners’ management companies (OMCs).

With apartment living on the rise, this recording will be of interest to a wide audience including legal and housing practitioners, property management professionals, and other stakeholders in the multi-unit developments (MUDs) and OMC sector.

Expert speakers explored Housing for All actions for regulation in relation to service charges, sinking funds, and dispute resolution in MUDs.

All information is correct as of broadcast date. The views expressed in the recording below do not necessarily represent the views of The Housing Agency.

Broadcast date: 4 May 2022.

Click below to watch the recording of the webinar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbu-gQkkkc0

Webinar: Owners’ management companies- a discussion of legal reform under Housing for All

The Housing Agency in collaboration with the Law Society of Ireland presents insights on the Housing for All actions to reform owners’ management companies (OMCs).

Expert panellists Suzanne Bainton, Paul Mooney, and Rory O’Donnell will explore Housing for All actions for regulation in relation to service charges, sinking funds, and dispute resolution in multi-unit developments (MUDs).

This event will be of interest to a wide audience including legal and housing practitioners, property management professionals, and other stakeholders in the MUDs and OMC sector. 

The one-hour webinar will take place at 12.30pm on Wednesday 4 May 2022.

Registration is free of charge and is via this Zoom link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HVmXxJ85TG65A9tNWVR0yA

Attendance at the live event carries one hour’s CPD for Law Society members.

Webinar Programme

- Introduction & background

- Panellists' insights on Housing for All actions

- Panel discussion and online Q&A.

Questions for panellists for the Q&A may be emailed to MUD@housingagency.ie

The session will be recorded for future use.

Places are limited to 1,000 attendees on a first-come first-served basis.