News

The Housing Agency currently has a number of housing research and education support opportunities.

Research Support Programme

The call for applications for the second round of the 2020 research support programme is now open. Please see the links below for further information and to apply.

Please note the new, extended closing date for this programme: midday, Wednesday 4 November 2020.

Research Support Programme Information
Research Support Programme Guidance for Applications
Research Support Programme Application Form
Research Support Programme Ethical Framework

Housing Education Bursary Scheme

Recent years have seen significant developments in the areas of housing delivery and policy. Housing professionals will play a key role in shaping future developments in the sector. The Housing Agency is committed to supporting the education, training and development of housing practitioners, as well as those interested in developing a career in housing. The Housing Education Bursary Scheme will empower housing professionals to build resilient and sustainable communities in Ireland.

The Bursary Scheme wishes to support students and housing professionals seeking to enrol in housing the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) Certificate in Social Housing, commencing January 2021. 

For more information  download the bursary application form.

Please note that applicants are required to make separate applications for both course attendance and this bursary scheme if they wish to avail of the bursary.

The Housing Agency and the Construction Bar Association of Ireland recently hosted a lunchtime webinar about recent developments in law affecting high-density housing and MUDs.

The views expressed by the speakers in this video are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date: 29 September 2020.

Speaker Bios:

Anita Finucane BL was called to the Bar in 2014. She practices and lectures in the areas of common law, chancery and non-jury matters and construction law. Anita is a member of the Bar Council 2019/2020 and Chair of the Young Bar Committee. Anita coordinates the relationship between the Association and the Young Bar.

Mema Byrne BL is a practicing barrister, member of the Law Library since 2003, and elected member of the Bar Council of Ireland. Mema has a wide civil practice with an emphasis on commercial disputes and property law. Mema is a Chairperson with the Mental Health Commission, an Adjudicator with the Private Residential Tenancies Board and a member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal. She specialises in landlord and tenant, housing, land law, conveyancing, probate and local government law. Mema is the author of “Landlord and Tenant- The Commercial Sector” (Round Hall, 2014), and has contributed to the Conveyancing and Property Law Journal and the Local Government Law Review. Mema has previously lectured in land law, landlord and tenant law, and company law.

Patricia Burke, BL With many years’ experience in the commercial world, both domestically and internationally, Patricia practises in land law, and commercial landlord and tenant. She specialises in resolving commercial disputes – contract and company. Apart from her commercial practice, she also specialises in the area of probate and trusts.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has extended the pyrite remediation scheme to include the administrative area of Limerick City and County Council, which will see homeowners of dwellings with significant damage attributable to pyritic heave in County Limerick eligible to apply for remediation works under the Pyrite Remediation Scheme.

Previously, only the owners of dwellings located within the counties of Kildare, Meath or Offaly or the administrative areas of Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown or South Dublin were eligible to apply for remediation works under the scheme.

€20m was provided under Budget 2020 to cover the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme and is a clear signal of the continuing importance attached by Government to addressing the issue of significant pyritic damage in private dwellings. This will bring to approx. €150m the total funding provided under the scheme since 2014.

The latest figures available indicate that up to 2,800 applications have been received under the Pyrite Remediation Scheme. Of these, 2,000 dwellings have been remediated under the scheme at an average cost of approx. €70,000 per dwelling.

Commenting as he visited the 2000th home to be remediated under the scheme in Balbriggan Co. Dublin, Minister O’Brien said, “I am very glad to extend the pyrite remediation scheme to the people of Limerick and I fully intend on ensuring that ultimately all eligible homeowners of dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave can have their homes remediated under the scheme,” he concluded.

The Housing Agency undertakes the remediation of properties affected by pyritic heave once accepted into the scheme through the Pyrite Resolution Board.

Pyritic material is naturally occurring in rock which was inadvertently used as stone fill under concrete floor slabs but is unsuitable for this purpose as it is subject to expansion over time when exposed to moisture. The expansion commonly causes severe cracking of floor slabs and other building elements and can make dwellings uninhabitable.

The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 was enacted to put in place a scheme for the remediation of dwellings adversely affected by pyrite.  The Act established the Pyrite Resolution Board who consider applications to the scheme and oversee the procurement of the remediation. Implementation of the Pyrite Remediation Scheme is by The Housing Agency.

The remediation process involves excavation and replacement of the entire ground floor structure within a dwelling, including all associated replacement of finishes, plumbing and electrical services. It normally requires the scheme participant to vacate their home for 3 months while the works are completed.

Full details of the Pyrite Remediation Scheme, including details of how to apply are available from the Pyrite Resolution Board website at www.pyriteboard.ie.

The Housing Agency and the National Building Control Office recently hosted a lunchtime webinar on the Irish building control system as it applies to residential buildings.

John O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer of The Housing Agency, discussed the development of the building control system since the enactment of the Building Control Act 1990.

Richard Butler of the National Building Control Office addressed the practical operation of BC(A)R 2014 from the NBCO's perspective, BCMS, and the future for building control.

The views expressed by the speakers in this video are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date: 15 September 2020.

The Housing Agency and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland recently hosted a webinar updating stakeholders about the March 2018 Apartment Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities.

John O’Mahony FRIAI of the RIAI delivered an overview of the Guidelines and considered their operation in design and practice. David Rouse of The Housing Agency addressed the interaction of the Guidelines with the operation and management of apartment developments.

The views expressed by the speakers in this video are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date: 10 September 2020.

The Housing Agency and the Construction Bar Association of Ireland will jointly host a lunchtime webinar about recent developments in law affecting high-density housing and MUDs.

The hour-long session will take place at 12pm on Tuesday 29 September.

Registration is required to participate in this free webinar. To register please visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Xl0n1Dx8T_WXNelMjZcStg. Places are limited to 500 participants, on a first-come first-served basis.

Webinar Programme

• Introduction & background – Deirdre Ní Fhloinn, BL, and David Rouse, The Housing Agency
• Presentations:
  • The Statute of Limitations in Property Damage Cases: Recent Developments – Anita Finucane, BL
  • Recent challenges to Strategic Housing Developments – Mema Byrne, BL
  • Regularisation of common area title when the developer is struck off – Patricia Burke, BL
• Q&A.

Please note that this session will be recorded for future use.

Speaker Bios

Anita Finucane BL

Anita was called to the Bar in 2014.  She practices and lectures in the areas of common law, chancery and non-jury matters and construction law. Anita is a member of the Bar Council 2019/2020 and Chair of the Young Bar Committee.  Anita coordinates the relationship between the Association and the Young Bar.

Mema Byrne BL

Mema Byrne BL is a practicing barrister, member of the Law Library since 2003, and elected member of the Bar Council of Ireland. Mema has a wide civil practice with an emphasis on commercial disputes and property law. Mema is a Chairperson with the Mental Health Commission, an Adjudicator with the Private Residential Tenancies Board and a member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal.  She specialises in landlord and tenant, housing, land law, conveyancing, probate and local government law. Mema is the author of “Landlord and Tenant- The Commercial Sector” (Round Hall, 2014), and has contributed to the Conveyancing and Property Law Journal and the Local Government Law Review. Mema has previously lectured in land law, landlord and tenant law, and company law.

Patricia Burke, BL

With many years’ experience in the commercial world, both domestically and internationally, Patricia practises in land law, and commercial landlord and tenant. She specialises in resolving commercial disputes – contract and company. Apart from her commercial practice, she also specialises in the area of probate and trusts.

The RIAI Graduate Training Scheme is seeking applications for a placement with The Housing Agency.

The programme, designed for recent graduates with a recognised qualification in architecture, is an opportunity to obtain practical work experience for three years to prepare for the Professional Practice Examinations.

The selection process will be shortlisting for competitive interview.

The package for successful applicants consists of:

• Salary €30,000.00 per annum
• Practical experience to prepare for the DIT/UCD Diploma in Professional Practice
• 36 Month Placement in The Housing Agency, Dublin

The Housing Agency supports Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in the delivery of housing and regeneration projects. It manages all stages of construction projects, from feasibility stage through to design, tender, building and handover, with a particular focus on procurement and project management.

Further information on this placement, including application form, is available at https://www.riai.ie/careers-in-architecture/gts-current-open-applications.

For further information, contact RIAI +353 1 6761703 / Email graduatetraining@riai.ie

Closing Date for return of application forms is 5pm on Friday 25 September 2020.

The Housing Agency and the National Building Control Office will jointly host a lunchtime webinar on the Irish building control system as it applies to residential buildings.

John O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer of The Housing Agency, will discuss the development of the building control system since the enactment of the Building Control Act 1990.

Richard Butler of the National Building Control Office will address the practical operation of BC(A)R 2014 from the NBCO's perspective, BCMS, and the future for building control.

The 50-minute session will take place at 12pm on Tuesday 15 September.

Registration is required to participate in this free webinar. To register please visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_THiDVA26S-6ycz9ZQRXyyw.
Places are limited to 500 participants, on a first-come first-served basis.

Webinar Programme

• Introduction & background
• Presentations:
  • John O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer, The Housing Agency
  • Richard Butler, National Building Control Office
• Q&A.

 Please note that the session will be recorded for future use.

The Housing Agency and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland will jointly host a lunchtime webinar updating stakeholders about the March 2018 Apartment Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities.

John O’Mahony FRIAI of the RIAI will deliver an overview of the Guidelines and consider their operation in design and practice. 

David Rouse of The Housing Agency will address the interaction of the Guidelines with the operation and management of apartment developments.

The hour-long session will take place at 12pm on Thursday 10 September.

Registration is required to participate in this free webinar. To register please visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_f_XzEalhSWqYjsOqgwyu8Q. 
Places are limited to 1,000 participants, on a first-come first-served basis.

Webinar Programme

• Introduction & background
• Presentations on the Guidelines, including:
  • Overview of main aspects
  • Application in design/practice
  • Effects on the operation and management of developments
• Q&A.

 Please note that the session will be recorded for future use.

The Housing Agency is delighted to launch its Housing Education Bursary Scheme for the 2020/2021 academic year.

Recent years have seen significant developments in the areas of housing delivery and policy. Housing professionals will play a key role in shaping future developments in the sector. The Housing Agency is committed to supporting the education, training and development of housing practitioners, as well as those interested in developing a career in housing. The Housing Education Bursary Scheme will empower housing professionals to build resilient and sustainable communities in Ireland.

The Bursary Scheme supports students and housing professionals seeking to enrol in housing studies courses offered by the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), starting between September 2020 and January 2021. These include:

• IPA NFQ Level 6 (Special Purpose Award) Certificate in Housing Studies (September 2020 start)
• IPA NFQ Level 8 (Special Purpose Award) Professional Diploma in Housing Studies (September 2020 start)
• ICSH Level 4 Certificate in Housing (January 2021 start).

The bursary awards are for 50% of course fees and are intended to support those who would otherwise be unable to secure funding for the full course fees from their organisation or other sources.

Applicants can apply by filling out the bursary application form and returning it to The Housing Agency by the appropriate closing date:

Please note that applicants are required to make separate applications for both course attendance and this bursary scheme if they wish to avail of the bursary.

Download the Bursary Application Form