Good News for Irish Housing - €85 million developments announced

Respond! Housing Association announces the approval by the Department of the Environment of €85 million funding for the construction of 405 dwellings in three areas, Tallaght, Athy and Longford. This will mean that Respond! will provide not only 405 units of housing, but also 3 communal buildings and 2 group homes in the next 18 months, more than any other housing provider in the sector.

Pat Cogan, Managing Director of Respond! said: “Respond!, as the largest Housing Association in Ireland, has been to the forefront of social housing for the past 25 years and these new developments only emphasise the important role the organisation plays in the Irish housing sector. In the past five years alone we have provided more than ¬¬1,650 homes and we hope to increase this figure dramatically in the next five years.”

The largest of the developments in Springfield, Tallaght, Dublin has an estimated cost of more than €50 million and is a housing, community and care services development that will provide social, affordable, elderly and emergency accommodation, as well as two group homes for the older people. The second development in Athy, Co Kildare will be an integrated estate of more 86 homes and will contain a mixture of social, affordable and Traveller accommodation. In partnership with Kildare County Council and Athy Town Council, this scheme has an estimated cost of €17 million. For the first time in its 25 year history, Respond! Housing Association will be meeting the housing needs of the people of Longford through a 119 unit integrated development in Townspark, costing in the region of €18.5 million.

Pat Cogan added: “We cannot underestimate the importance of providing integrated accommodation through a mixture of social, affordable, local authority, elderly, family and Traveller homes. Unfortunately segregated housing still remains as the prevailing model of providing social housing and Part V initiatives have not contributed the promised level of integrated estates.”

The organisation this year celebrates its 25th anniversary and are hosting an International Conference in Dublin in October. Speakers include Eddie Hobbs (Broadcaster and Financial Consultant), Mick Wallace (Wexford Developer), Fr. Seán Healy (CORI), John Fitzgerald (Limerick Regeneration Agencies), Seán Dorgan (IDA Ireland), Professor P.J. Drudy (Trinity College Dublin), Dr Rory O'Donnell (NESC), and many, many more. Further information on this event can be obtained by contacting 0818 357901 or emailing conference@respond.ie


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