Respond | Housing Association

Hello and welcome!

to the latest edition of the Respond Tenant Newsletter. Once again, a warm welcome to our newest tenants across Respond estates. We are delighted to welcome you to our community and hope you have settled into your new homes. If you have any questions or need help with your housing issues, please contact the Housing Management teams in your local area. This is a message we extend to all tenants, we’re here to help!

Respond celebrates World Book Day

This World Book Day, Respond celebrated the joy of books with the help of Children’s Books Ireland, who generously donated 2,800 books. These were shared with families across our estates and services in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, encouraging a love of reading among children of all ages.

Books were delivered straight to the doors of children living in our estates. Across the country, teams also organised lively local events, giving families and service users a chance to celebrate together.

In Dublin, the Family Support team held an event in the Early Learning and School Aged Childcare (ELSAC) service in Ardmore, Tallaght, with six families in attendance. These families brought along their neighbours’ children to join in on the fun, making the day even more special.

In Limerick, Watchhouse Cross Library kindly agreed to host an event in partnership with Respond, welcoming families from Ballygrennan Close. All 23 children received an activity pack with books from Children’s Books Ireland.

Additionally, 600 books were delivered to 287 children in Suaimhneas family hub, Distillery View ELSAC, Stonecourt ELSAC, three family estates in Limerick and three family estates in Galway.

Meanwhile, in Waterford, Family Support received 1000 books to distribute to tenants and service users across the county. With the support of Tenant Relations Officers, ELSAC staff and Resettlement staff, the books were distributed to 275 families and over 400 children across 13 estates.

Cork saw children in Pairc de Hide, Fermoy, Mill Park and Hillview Drive, Charleville enjoy organised events celebrating the day, including workshops such as creating a “Story Bag”, focusing on a child and their parent choosing a story together. Each family received an activity pack with books from Children’s Books Ireland.

A heartfelt thanks to Children’s Books Ireland for their generous donation, to the Housing Finance Agency for funding the events, and to all our partners and staff who helped make this day one to remember.

CELEBRATING LOCAL STORIES

Tenant Tales & Staff Stories

Meet Deco and Nico

The Colourful Characters of Elanora Court. Living in Elanora Court, Declan – better known as Deco – and his pet bird Nico have become stars of the block. Darren, our Tenant Engagement Coordinator, recently sat down with Deco to hear about his journey to Elanora Court and how Nico, a tiny Lovebird parrot, came into his life.

Darren first met Deco when he dropped into the Elanora Court office to report a minor maintenance issue. What started as a quick chat soon turned into a warm conversation about pets and connection. They bonded over their shared experiences of losing beloved animals – one of life’s hardest goodbyes.

After 17 years on the housing list, Deco finally moved into his new home in Elanora Court, Dublin, in April 2024. It should have been a joyful milestone but it was clouded by the recent loss of his two dogs. Deco knew he wasn’t quite ready for another dog, but then, something unexpected happened.

A friend offered him a newborn Lovebird parrot and Deco jumped at the chance.

Lovebirds are native to Madagascar. They’re among the smallest of parrots, with grey heads, stocky builds, and a strong instinct for connection. They’re sociable, affectionate birds – the name “Lovebird” says it all.

“This was definitely evident from my visit to meet Deco and Nico at their home,” said Darren. “The relationship between them was a refreshing reminder that connection and bonding go far beyond human relationships.”

Now six months old, Nico has taken full command of Deco’s apartment, strutting confidently from room to room like a part-owner. He certainly didn’t hold back during Darren’s visit.

Deco admits Nico keeps him on his toes.

“Lovebirds live in small flocks,” Deco explained. “They eat fruit, vegetables, grasses, seeds—and some other stuff. But Nico is a boundary-pusher. He wants what I’m having for dinner. What Deco has, Nico must have too.”

While he knows Nico can’t eat human food, Deco sometimes lets him have a chip off his plate—just to keep the peace.

There’s never a dull moment with Nico around. One of Deco’s favourite stories is how Nico likes to “help” during dinner clean-up.

“When I go to wash up, Nico moves bits of delph around to confuse me,” Deco laughed. “I’m never sure what’s been washed or not. And if I turn on the tap, he sees it as his cue for a shower—standing under the water to have his wash!”

Nico is still learning to talk, but Darren plans to return for a one-on-one interview—once the little parrot has a few words under his wing.

Celebrating Ramadan

On Tuesday, April 1, newly arrived Syrian and Afghan families, in collaboration with the Resettlement team, celebrated Eid al-Fitr, a festival of the breaking of bread to mark the end of Ramadan. This special event provided a wonderful opportunity to come together, meet new members of the community, and experience the rich traditions of Eid al-Fitr. Many families joined in the celebrations, along with members of community organisations, state agencies and other NGOs. The community Gardai in Waterford called by to say hello. A variety of traditional dishes and desserts, prepared by the families on our programme were shared, along with Arabic coffee and tea. Women within the community offered henna hand designs and head massages, while children enjoyed face painting and other activities.

Interview with TRO & Family Support

John’s College resident and member of the Newsletter Development Group, Eleanor McGrath caught up with Respond staff members, Aideen Moran and Niamh Flavin to discuss their roles. Both based in Waterford, Aideen is a Tenant Relations Officer, and Niamh works as part of the Respond Family Support team.

What does a TROs day look like. The day-to-day work
of the TRO?

I personally oversee/ manage eight estates in Waterford. Four in the Waterford city area and four in Waterford County. The estates vary in size and scale, some have 55 homes, and some could be as small as 18. This is different around other parts of the country as there are many larger estates.

Our first engagement with prospective tenants is when we receive a nomination from the local authority. We arrange to meet with tenant, firstly to ensure that the property meets tenant needs, providing us with an opportunity to develop a relationship between tenant and ourselves. This relationship is important because a lot of the time we are the first point of contact with tenant when we are on estates and are there to answer questions. Moving people into their homes is known as the allocation and there are policies and procedures, we must follow to ensure this happens as smoothly
as possible.

There is also a voids function. This is when someone moves out of their home. We would engage with tenant on this, inform the local authority that we will have a vacancy. We also link in with our asset and maintenance team. Their role is to visit the property and arrange for any works that need to be done, and the property is fit for purpose for new tenants. Once this is complete, the above transactional housing process begins again.

Another function is property inspections. The purpose of these are not about interfering in people’s lives but to ensure that people’s homes are in good condition. We are regulated by a housing regulator (AHBRA) and one of the obligations of this is to ensure that people’s homes are of a good standard. This is not about judging how people live in their homes, but to ensure that all is good, and people’s homes are safe to live in.

How do you handle complaints?

A big part of our role is following up with people’s issues and complaints. We do have official policies and procedures in place as a standard. We follow these as best we can, there can be anomalies sometimes, but a lot of complaints can be resolved without going through the escalation process.

The two common themes of complaint are maintenance and anti-social behaviour. We are always trying to improve the efficiency of our maintenance programme, and with ASB, our first approach is always to advise people to try sort the issue out between themselves. If this is not an option, we offer mediation process to resolve the issue. Sometimes we must draw on the expertise and take incidents to the Residential Tenancy Boards (RTB) for mediation and or ultimately adjudication.

Is crisis management something you guys deal with?

It can be, this doesn’t mean we have the capacity to deal with all kinds of issues. You know there are people with specific skillsets that can work with individuals or people going through a tough time. We are often presented with issues that are of a criminal nature, so we must then advise people to contact the Gardai. If someone is struggling with mental health, we can signpost them towards a service that would provide a lot more support than I could. I don’t have those skillsets.

A key part of our role is to advocate for/with tenants to engage with community services. We would have relationships with some of the local, regional and national service providers.

Niamh over to you for now – what is Family Support (FS)? What does it mean and what does your day-to-day job look like?

There are two parts to Family Support, the individual work and group work. We offer one-to-one support meaning we work with individuals on a one-to-one basis with issues or struggles they may be having. We also work with groups, universal groups, running different programmes around the country which could include anything from cooking skills, art classes, planting to the more focused programmes like parents plus and educational programmes.

There are only four FS workers in the country. We have one FS worker here in Waterford, one in Limerick and Cork, and more recently in Dublin.

FS is for anybody; it can be an individual or somebody who’s part of a family.

And how do residents avail of the family support services?

We have a referral process, and we work very closely with the TRO and members of the housing team. We also take referrals from all members of staff in other Respond departments including early school and childcare services.

As a resident can I pick up the phone and call you Niamh?

As we are such a small team with a large geographical spread across counties, we tend to stick with the referral process. However, there are times when people self-refer.

If a family living in a Respond house is experiencing issues, would they call you?

The first person they call most of the time is the TRO as it is the TRO they have a relationship with. The TRO might have a discussion with a tenant and let them know there are supports available. This has been the case since the FS team was developed. The Family Support staff also attend the pre-tenancy to inform people of the
services available.

NEWS FROM RESPOND

Changing of the Guard

We would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you and farewell to our current CEO Declan Dunne. Declan, whom a lot of you may have met over the years will be retiring in the summer of 2025.

Declan joined Respond in 2016 and has been instrumental in our growth and as a leader in innovation in the AHB sector. We have grown exponentially in size, scale and numbers in such a short period of time. Aligned with this growth, Declan has also worked tirelessly to enhance and improve how we as an organisation operate, how we think about people,
how we think about staff, residents, tenants and users
of Respond services. The impact

Everyone at Respond would like to say a big thank you to Declan and express our heartfelt gratitude for his leadership and vision. We wish him well in your retirement.

Incoming CEO

We are also pleased to let you know that Aoife Watters has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Respond. Aoife will officially take up the role in April 2025, becoming our third CEO – and the first woman to lead the organisation in our 40+ year history.

Aoife brings a wealth of experience from both the charity and commercial sectors. She is currently CEO of Dublin Cemeteries Trust and has held senior roles in housing and homelessness charities, as well as serving as a Board Director and Chair with another Approved Housing Body. She brings expertise in governance, finance, strategic leadership and supporting inclusive, high-performing teams.

Aoife has a strong track record in driving meaningful change and has long admired Respond’s work. Aoife recently said:

“I am honoured to join Respond and to lead this exceptional organisation. I look forward to building on the important work of my predecessor Declan Dunne and continuing to support communities across Ireland with high quality homes and vital services.”

Everyone at Respond is looking forward to welcoming Aoife and working with her as we continue our mission to deliver homes, support communities and make a real difference in people’s lives. We hope to chat with Aoife in future edition on the Newsletter to hear about plans for the future of Respond.

NEWS FROM RESPOND

New Beginnings at Newtown View: First resident meeting brings community together

Tenant Relations Officer Garrett Mullan recently met with residents at Newtown View in Drogheda for the estate’s first-ever community gathering, a landmark moment that brought together more than 50 residents to share their views and discuss local issues.

Newtown View is a new Respond estate in Louth, comprising 133 homes with a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses.

At the meeting, Garrett outlined how Respond works in partnership with tenants, and how tenant-led activity can be supported. He explained that once the residents’ group is formally recognised through the Council’s Public Participation Network (PPN), they will be eligible to apply for local grants and that Respond is ready to match these to help support community projects.

There was strong agreement among residents on forming a residents’ association, with the goal of representing everyone living in the estate. The group will serve as a voice for the community, communicating with Respond, Louth County Council and other relevant bodies.

Looking ahead, residents are also planning to invite local councillors to meet with them, to raise key concerns and ensure they are heard by the County Council.

During the discussion, several important issues were raised, including the need for street signage, safety signs, and improved access pathways – essentials for turning the estate into a safe and connected community.

Following the meeting, Garrett has begun working to explore solutions to the concerns raised. These include access to the nearby train station, installing signage and speed ramps within the estate, and improving local bus services.

Help us name the newsletter – and win a €100 voucher!

We’re giving the Respond Newsletter a fresh new look — and we want your help to name it.

The newsletter is all about storytelling and connection. It’s a space to share news, ideas, and the everyday stories that bring us closer together as a community. We’d love a name that captures that spirit. Get creative! The Newsletter Task Group will choose the winning name, and we’ll announce it in the next edition.

The winner will receive a €100 voucher.

To enter, send your idea to your local Tenant Relations Officer or email us at: tenantnewsletter@respond.ie

TIPS FROM RESPOND

Spring has Sprung

Phyllis Seale Foynes – B.Sc. Hort

Living in Long Mile Road, Elanora Court, Phyllis Seale is a member of the Newsletter Development Group. Phyllis provides some planting advice for Spring. With warmer days ahead, it’s time to get active in your garden or balcony!

Sow your seeds about 1.5cms in depth in a seed tray and give them a good watering.

After that initial watering, be careful not to overwater.

Use those windowsills when you don’t have a greenhouse.

When transplanting seedlings, never hold them by the stem. If you accidentally crush it then that’s the whole plant dead. Hold them by a leaf. They can always grow a new leaf!

Don’t forget the most important thing… ENJOY IT!

Vegetables

Plantname	Sow Indoors	Sow Outdoors	Space apart in the ground	Harvest
Cauliflower	March	March to June	50cms/ 20 inches	June to October
Courgette	March to April	May	90cms/ 36 inches	July onwards
Brussels Sprouts	February to April	March to April	60cms/ 24 inches	October to December
Carrots	March to April	March to April	30cms/ 12 inches	May to July
Sweetcorn	April	May	30cms/ 12 inches	July to October
Broccoli	March to May	June to July	60cms/ 24 inches	August to September

Annual Flowers

Plantname	Sow Indoors	Sow Outdoors	Space apart in the ground	Flowers
Lobelia	February to April	May	10cms/ 4 inches	Late June to October
Impatiens / Busy Lizzie	February to April	n/a	23cms/ 9 inches	Mid June to September
Busy Lizzie	February to April	April to May	20cms/ 8 inches	Mid June to October
Marigolds	February to April	n/a	30cms/ 12 inches	Mid June to September
Petunias	For early blooms: April	March to May	40cms/ 16 inches	July to September
Sunflowers	March to May	June to July	60cms/ 24 inches	August to September