Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy TD on 31st October 2018 launched the 2017 Annual Report for the Respond housing association and unveiled details of current projects in construction around the country.

Respond Headlines

•  8,717 tenants in lifetime homes, including 2,957 children
•  3 new Family Hubs opened in Dublin accommodating 99 families over the period
•  250 homes nearing completion this year
• 414 new social homes currently in construction
• 3,600 new social homes in development pipeline
• 2,500 new social homes to be supplied over the next 5 years

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy TD said:

“Approved Housing Bodies, such as Respond, know the important contribution that they play in social housing delivery. We rely on the sector because we trust and have faith in them. Respond has risen to the challenge and it is clear, they have the ambition to continue to play a role in Rebuilding Ireland. Today’s event is a testament to Respond who are playing their part in addressing the current challenges we face; they are expanding and improving the housing services they provide and they are also significantly increasing the number of social housing homes that they are providing around the country.”

Declan Dunne, CEO of Respond said:

“Every day Respond Housing provides housing and homeless services to over 8,000 residents in lifetime homes and supported accommodation to 128 families in Dublin hubs.

Right now, we are on site in 8 different locations in Ireland building over 414 new social homes .This is only the beginning of our development plans, which truly took off this year, and we will deliver at least 2,500 new social homes over the next 5 years with investment of €500 million.

“Our core mission at this time is to help alleviate the housing and homelessness crisis Ireland currently faces by providing real on-the-ground solutions. Our long term aim is to provide lifetime social and affordable homes to a far greater proportion of the population, bringing Ireland more into line with our European neighbours where people from all walks of life live in housing association developments side by side.

“We will continue to build new homes and to build on our own stated ambitions. I would ask communities across Ireland to embrace new social housing or homeless services when they are announced for their area. It is up to each single one of us, each community and parish to play our part in building the homes and communities we want for all our children. Communities should know that they have nothing to fear and everything to gain when they welcome new residents to their area. We are all – Government, local authority, Approved Housing Body, residents´ committee – responsible for delivering our part of the response and we will only truly solve this crisis if we view it as one that affects all of us”.

About Respond

The launch includes details of total of 414 homes and 3D images of all our new developments on site including:

• 81 homes in Castlegar, Galway
• 54 homes in Golflinks Road, Kilkenny
• 50 homes in Deansground, Kilkenny
• 33 homes in Letterkenny, Co Donegal
• 46 homes and 1 communal building in Fermoy, Co Cork
• 50 homes in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan
• 50 homes in Athy Co Kildare
• 42 homes in Knockgriffin, Co Cork
• Plus the 8 homes at Martanna House, Drumondra, Dublin 9

And other developments coming on stream such as:

• 155 homes at tender stage Enniskerry Road, Dublin 18
• 101 homes planning lodged for High Park, Dublin 9

Please find attached link to our AR17 here

On Tuesday 30^th October 2018 Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy turned the sod on a new residential development by Respond which includes 46 homes for mixed tenure and older people and 1 communal building at Duntahane, Fermoy, Co Cork.

This project is in partnership with Cork County Council and the Housing Agency and funded by the Housing Finance Agency.

This marks the continued work by Respond in Cork where Respond currently owns and manages 432 social housing homes. The Respond development programme for Cork city and county for 2018 to 2020 currently stands at 286 homes.

Respond is an organisation offering real solutions by building new homes and actively helping the homeless with 322 new construction starts this year so far, 4 family hubs and a commitment of 2,500 homes over the next 5 years.

Representing Government at this event, Minister of State David Stanton T.D. said:

“I am delighted to be here today on behalf of my colleague Minister Eoghan Murphy T.D. I’m very aware of the high standards that Respond achieved in their housing developments around the country. I’m sure the residents and families who will get to live in this state of the art development will be very pleased with their new homes in Fermoy. The Government is working towards many more such housing projects across the country.”

Mayor Murphy stated:

“Cork County Council has built or acquired 1,293 housing units in the last 3 years including 373 in collaboration with Approved Housing Bodies such as Respond. I’d like to acknowledge the partnership between the Council, the Housing Finance Agency and Respond in coming together to supply the housing local people want, need and deserve”

Respond CEO Declan Dunne said:

“Respond has a long and proud history in Cork and is committed to the provision of housing in Cork city and county and as a national organisation Respond is committed and active in housing building throughout the country not just in Dublin”.

At a construction project value of €9.1million this development located south west of Fermoy town centre consists of 23 x 3 bed houses; 20 x 2 bed houses; and 3 x 4 bed houses. Funded by the Department for Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Housing Finance Agency, the contractor for this development is K&J Townmore Construction Ltd.  Construction works have commenced on site and this project is due for completion in 15 months.