News

Press Release from Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Darragh O'Brien

As Ireland continues to face the COVID-19 challenge, additional measures must be taken in order to provide safe and secure homes for all our communities. Minister O’Brien has today launched a “Call for Housing 2020” – a new national call for property owners and developers with vacant properties to make them available for use as social housing.

Minister O’Brien explained, “Local Authorities across the country are urgently seeking vacant residential properties to provide for those who do not have access to housing.

“We are looking for a range of properties including one bed properties, larger family homes and homes that are or can be adapted for those with a disability or accommodation suitable for older people such as a bungalow or an apartment.

“Property owners can also enter into a secure letting arrangement while retaining ownership of their asset through the Long Term Social Housing Leasing Scheme. This will provide them with a stable return on their investment during what is admittedly an uncertain time in terms of the property market.

“A range of other options are also available to property owners to assist in providing social housing supports.

“I remain firmly of the view that new builds are the appropriate approach to a long-term housing strategy, however I am keenly aware of the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of new builds and my priority is providing sustainable and safe accommodation for those most in need of it,” he said.

Information on the available schemes and detail on how property owners can contact their local authority are available on www.callforhousing.ie, by calling 1800 200 934 (8am – 6pm Mon-Fri) or by email to callforhousing@housingagency.ie

In recent months The Housing Agency has been busy providing guidance and support for stakeholders in the apartment and multi-unit development sector in Ireland. 

Together with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers, The Housing Agency recently published Guidance for Multi-Unit Developments and Residential Owners’ Management Companies during Coronavirus (COVID-19). The document is intended to provide practical guidance for owners’ management companies (“OMCs”), their property management agents, and their directors during the period of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. The material relates to residential OMCs only. This guide is a live document and may be subject to change in line with public health advice and other external factors.

The publication of this guidance comes after two information sheets were produced by The Housing Agency, again addressing challenges brought about by the COVID-19 emergency: 10 Tips for Owners' Management Companies During COVID-19 and OMC Finances & Governance During COVID-19.

The Housing Agency has also hosted and co-hosted several webinars in recent months:

•  The Information Webinar for Volunteer Directors of Owners' Management Companies provided information to assist the work of volunteer directors of OMCs.
   
• With the collaboration of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, and the Law Society of Ireland, in April The Housing Agency hosted Multi-Unit Developments, Apartment Living and COVID-19.  Panellists Aisling Keenan, management agent and author of Owners’ Management Companies Law and Best Practice, and Suzanne Bainton, solicitor with Liston & Company, addressed challenges facing MUDs and OMCs in the context of the COVID-19 emergency.
   

• The Housing Agency and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland hosted Owners' Management Company Finances & COVID-19, a webinar addressing the financial challenges for OMCs arising from COVID-19.

• The Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) and The Housing Agency hosted Managing Apartments and Multi-Unit Developments through COVID-19. Panellists Ella Dunphy, Management Agent at DNG Ella Dunphy, Kilkenny, and Kay McGuire of Galway Property Services addressed the challenges facing apartments and multi-unit developments during COVID-19.

• The Law Society of Ireland and The Housing Agency hosted Multi-Unit Developments - Signposts for Practitioners & Stakeholders. Presenters and panellists Suzanne Bainton of Liston & Co. and Cómhnall Tuohy of Kane Tuohy Solicitors discussed developments in law and practice for multi-unit developments and residential OMCs.

• The Housing Agency and Engineers Ireland hosted Apartments & Multi-Unit Developments: Sustainable Buildings a free webinar for stakeholders in the apartments and multi-unit developments sector. Mairéad Phelan, Head of the National Building Control Office, addressed apartment building life cycles and design aspects in the context of long-term upkeep and maintenance costs.

• Co-hosted by The Housing Agency and ICSA The Chartered Governance Institute, Owners' Management Companies: Corporate Governance for Company Secretaries & Stakeholders saw Conor Sweeney of CLS Chartered Secretaries address corporate governance, company law, and practical compliance concerns for OMCs. David Rouse, advisor with The Housing Agency, set the context and background, growth in OMC numbers, and wider issues for the sector. 

  The views expressed by the speakers in these webinars are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of respective broadcast dates.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how important resilient and sustainable communities are to us all.

Decisions we now make in relation to housing, planning and regeneration will play a fundamental role in the future of our communities. Measures that are put in place will need to be ambitious and will require adaptation to a new way of doing things.

Throughout June The Housing Agency hosted a series of expert-led webinars that considered some of the key elements of future resilient and sustainable communities.

Please click below to view each webinar. Alternatively, view the complete playlist on The Housing Agency's YouTube channel.

The views expressed by the speakers in these videos are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date.

• Collaboratively retrofitting - a discussion on the pre-1919 Glasgow tenement retrofitting demonstration project. Prof Ken Gibb, UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (3 June 2020)

• Regeneration for all: How intergenerational housing can contribute to town and village renewal. Roland Karthaus, Matter Architecture (10 June 2020)

• Green spaces, urban places: The Importance of green space for neighbourhoods – the Mapping Green Dublin Project. Prof Gerald Mills, School of Geography, UCD (17 June 2020)

• Nature based housing: Solutions for housing developments. Dr Marcus Collier, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin (24 June 2020)

The Housing Agency with ICSA The Chartered Governance Institute will host a webinar for company secretarial practitioners, and stakeholders engaged with residential owners’ management companies (OMCs).

Conor Sweeney of CLS Chartered Secretaries will address corporate governance, company law, and practical compliance concerns for OMCs.  David Rouse, advisor with The Housing Agency, will set the context and background, growth in OMC numbers, and wider issues for the sector.

The one hour webinar will take place Wednesday 1 July at 12pm.

Registration is required to participate in this free webinar. To register please visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_g7ZltCzlTg6Xuu0U78q9KA.
Places are limited to 500 participants, on a first-come first-served basis.

Webinar Programme

• Introduction & background presentation
• Presentation on key corporate governance issues for OMCs, including:
  • Company Constitutions for an OMC
  • Annual Company Secretarial Compliance
  • General meetings / resolutions and voting
  • Common Changes in an OMC
  • Directors' duties
  • Interaction of Companies Act 2014 with MUD Act 2011
  • Roles of CRO and ODCE
• Online Q&A.

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

The Housing Agency and Engineers Ireland recently hosted a free webinar for stakeholders in the apartments and multi-unit developments sector.

In this video Mairéad Phelan, Head of the National Building Control Office, addresses apartment building life cycles and design aspects in the context of long-term upkeep and maintenance costs.

The views expressed by the speakers in this video are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date: 16 June 2020.

The Law Society of Ireland and The Housing Agency recently hosted a webinar for stakeholders in the multi-unit developments sector.

Presenters and panellists Suzanne Bainton of Liston & Co. and Cómhnall Tuohy of Kane Tuohy Solicitors discussed developments in law and practice for multi-unit developments and residential owners’ management companies.

The views expressed by the speakers in this video are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date: 4 June 2020.

The Housing Agency and Engineers Ireland will jointly host a lunchtime webinar about sustainable apartment & multi-unit developments buildings.

Mairéad Phelan, Head of the National Building Control Office, will address apartment building life cycles, and design aspects, in the context of long-term upkeep and maintenance costs.

The 40 minute session will take place at 12pm on Tuesday 16 June 2020.

Registration is required to participate in this free webinar. To register please visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kWoj76WCQWqCzJt5ye8sVA.
Places are limited to 500 participants, on a first-come first-served basis.

Webinar Programme

• Introduction & background
• Presentation on key sustainability issues for apartments/multi-unit developments, including:
  • Apartments and building standards
  • Design aspects
  • Life cycle reports under March 2018 apartment planning guidelines
• Q&A.

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

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how important resilient and sustainable communities are to us all.

Decisions we now make in relation to housing, planning and regeneration will play a fundamental role in the future of our communities. Measures that are put in place will need to be ambitious and will require adaptation to a new way of doing things.

This June The Housing Agency will host a series of free expert-led webinars that will consider some of the key elements of future resilient and sustainable communities.

Participation in each webinar is free, but advance registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

To register for each webinar please click one of the links below:

Please note that these sessions may be recorded for future use.
View the poster for this webinar series here.

The Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) and The Housing Agency hosted a free webinar for stakeholders in the apartments and multi-unit developments sector.

Panellists Ella Dunphy, Management Agent at DNG Ella Dunphy, Kilkenny, and Kay McGuire of Galway Property Servicesa ddressed the challenges facing apartments and multi-unit developments during COVID-19.

All information correct as of broadcast date. Broadcast date: 30 April 2020

The Housing Agency and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland recently hosted a webinar addressing the financial challenges for owners’ management companies arising from the COVID-19 emergency.

Delivered by expert panellists, the session facilitated a discussion of views on key finance issues, including: Income and expenditure review; Cash flows/liquidity; Sinking funds; Annual service charge recovery; Communications with OMC members.

All information correct as of broadcast date. Broadcast date: 23 April 2020