Tuath marks 1,000 homes provided through the Capital Assistance Scheme

The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) provides secure, long-term homes for those with specific and often complex housing needs. This kind of delivery is rarely marked by fanfare or flourish. It is measured instead in the quiet turning of a thousand keys.

In the coastal town of Schull, West Cork, the Ard na Mara development stands as a shining example of local housing at its finest. Overlooking the Atlantic and set behind the Schull Primary Care Centre, the 12 single-storey homes are the town’s first new-build scheme in years, offering its residents stability in a familiar place.

For new resident Skye, the impact has been immediate:

“When they gave me my house number, it was the perfect number. And it’s the perfect place. I’m beginning to feel like I belong somewhere.”

Funded through the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) in partnership with Cork County Council, Ard na Mara represents the culmination of years of local advocacy and sustained collaboration. Its completion is a testament to persistence, partnership and community-led delivery.

Schull is just one of many examples of CAS-funded development nationwide. While general needs housing  today increasingly incorporates universal design to meet a broader range of requirements, the Capital Assistance Scheme—established in 1984—continues to play a vital role in providing targeted, community-based housing for priority groups with more specific and complex needs.

Crucially, many of these schemes are supported by integrated services, with carers, nurses, counsellors and support staff working alongside residents. Through CAS, Tuath has now delivered more than 1,000 homes across the country.

This kind of delivery is rarely marked by fanfare or flourish. It is measured instead in the quiet turning of a thousand keys, each one opening a door to stability, safety and dignity in daily life.

Reaching this milestone reflects years of coordinated effort. For Tuath, the milestone is also about focus. In a housing landscape that is often discussed in broad terms, the scheme responds to specific needs with targeted solution.

That approach is evident nationwide. In Dundalk, Coulter Close demonstrates the depth of partnership behind CAS delivery. The seven-home development, which includes age-friendly housing and an assisted living unit managed by Saint John of God North East Services and the HSE, was delivered over several years in collaboration with Louth County Council and Inclusion Louth. Its success extends beyond construction to the provision of health and community supports.

Árus Mhuire, delivered with Cork City Council in 2019, highlights the role of design in supporting independent living. Located in Blackrock, the scheme provides sheltered, fully accessible homes for older people, arranged around a shared courtyard and garden. Ground-floor balconies and a single controlled entrance promote safety, interaction and a sense of community.

In Dublin, the refurbishment of Ellis Court on Benburb Street shows another dimension of CAS: the renewal of existing buildings with deep social and historical roots. The 22-home scheme restored one of the city’s earliest social housing developments, preserving its architectural character while bringing it back into long-term residential use. It is a reminder that delivery is not always about new construction, but also about reactivating places that already hold meaning in the urban fabric.

Anne, one of the residents, described the impact of moving into her home:

“Delighted. I wasn’t in and out of hostels anymore and neither was my son. We have our little home now. We appreciate what we have, thank God for it. Over the moon really. Peaceful. What more can you ask for?”

Looking ahead, further CAS developments are underway. In Mountbellew, County Galway, Treanrevagh will deliver five purpose-built bungalows for older people on a site transferred from Mountbellew Voluntary Homes. In Macroom, a new development will provide age-friendly housing alongside a five-bed communal home managed by ABI Ireland for people with acquired brain injuries. Both reflect the continuity of the scheme, responding to local needs while supporting people to live well within their communities.

Across these examples, a consistent principle emerges: CAS works because it is precise. It shapes housing around people’s lives rather than asking people to adapt to standard provision. That precision depends on strong collaboration between local authorities, local partners and the Department of Housing.

While we deliver homes through the CAS scheme, many thousands of our general needs properties also support individuals with a range of disabilities and needs. We are proud to do both, recognising the clear need and value in each, and we are committed to working collaboratively with specialist organisations to ensure tenants in our CAS homes receive the support they need.

For now, the milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and to recognise the collective effort behind it. More than anything, it highlights the impact of focused, partnership-driven delivery in creating homes that meet people’s needs.