Tuath is proud to have been an executive partner of the 2025 International Social Housing Festival which took place in the Convention Centre Dublin and a number of nearby sites in Dublin last week.

 

Exhibition stand

Tuath Housing was delighted to welcome the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, to our stand at the International Social Housing Festival as we continue to work in partnership with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to deliver social and Cost Rental homes nationwide.

 

Tuath events

Ellis Court Site Visit – Wednesday 4 June

On Wednesday, Tuath Housing was pleased to welcome visitors from the International Social Housing Festival (ISHF) to our refurbished apartment block at Ellis Court, Dublin 7. Originally one of Ireland’s oldest social housing developments built in the 1800s, Tuath restored this historic building in 2022.

Delegates from the International Social Housing Festival (ISHF) toured the development and met with Richard Pike, Chair of Tuath’s Voluntary Board of Directors and Orla Cleary, Tuath’s Chief Governance, Legal and People Officer. Further speakers included Head of Construction at Tuath, Marie McNamara, who walked delegates through the refurbishment process; Dr Ruth McManus, Associate Professor of Geography at DCU, who contextualised Ellis Court within Ireland’s housing history; and John Campbell, Architect with COADY Architects, who shared the design approach and challenges. Further highlights from the event included visits to the rooftop of the development alongside a photo exhibition which showed pictures of Ellis Court’s residents.

De Verdon Place Site Visit ‘Challenges and opportunities in mixed tenure housing’ – Wednesday 4 June

On Wednesday afternoon, Tuath also invited ISHF delegates for a site visit and panel discussion at De Verdon Place in Dublin 17. This 238-home Cost Rental and social home development on the Malahide Road marks Dublin City’s first ever Cost Rental homes and one of Ireland’s largest public housing schemes to date.

The panel discussion, which focused on the tenant experience at De Verdon Place, community initiatives to date and the development’s delivery process, featured Bronagh D’Arcy, Tuath’s Chief Operating Officer, Martin Loughran, Tuath’s Chief Commercial and Development Officer, Gareth Rowan, Senior Executive Officer from Dublin City Council and Vincent Faye, Director of Finance at GEM Construction Ltd. Delegates were also invited to visit one of De Verdon Place’s many rooftop gardens during the event.

Cost Rental Research Workshop – Wednesday 4 June

Tuath was delighted to come together again with project partners Clúid, Respond, Dr Michael Byrne from University College Dublin and Dr. Cian O’Callaghan from Trinity College Dublin to showcase the first major piece of research into Cost Rental housing in Ireland at the International Social Housing Festival today.

The report, ‘The Impact of Cost Rental Housing: Security, Affordability and Place,’ was funded by The Housing Agency Ireland. The event saw presentations on the research alongside a panel discussion, which included words from Tuath resident Mark.

ISHF Storyslam – Wednesday 4 June

Tuath was proud to support the International Social Housing Festival Storyslam on night of Wednesday 4 June in partnership with the Irish Council for Social Housing and the Iveagh Trust, bringing powerful stories to Arthur’s Bar in the Guiness Storehouse, in line with the Festival’s theme of ‘storytelling.’

Idea-sharing and networking event – Thursday 5 June

On Thursday evening, Tuath Housing hosted an idea-sharing and networking event as part of the International Social Housing Festival in partnership with Housing Europe.

We were honoured to have Sorcha Edwards, General Secretary of Housing Europe, say a few words on the night. Tuath Chief Executive Sean O’Connor also spoke, while Eoin Lynam, customer service team lead at Tuath Housing recited poetry on the topic of housing during the event.

‘Montpelier site visit’ – Thursday 5 June

Tuath Housing participated in a site visit with delegates from the International Social Housing Festival (ISHF) to Montpelier; a new mixed tenure housing development, delivering over 1,000 Cost Rental, social and affordable homes in Dublin 7. Delegates toured Montpelier, viewing the first tranche of completed homes which are for sale under the Affordable for sale initiative.

Tuath is working in partnership with Bartra and Dublin City Council to deliver 264 new Cost Rental homes within the development. At the visit, Marie McNamara, Head of Construction, discussed Tuath’s Cost Rental programme and explained how these homes will integrate into the new mixed tenure development.

‘A circular approach to retrofitting’ – Friday 6 June

On Friday, Tuath’s Sustainability Manager Jennifer Whitty presented the Circular Reno project – an ambitious EU-wide initiative which innovates how we retrofit social housing.

Jennifer spoke about the use of natural, bio-based materials like hemp, straw, and miscanthus to deliver warmer, more energy-efficient homes while supporting circular supply chains and community well-being. Paul Grennan, Retrofit Manager at Tuath, also played a key role in showcasing how Circular Reno is being applied in real homes across Ireland, with a strong focus on tenant needs and lived experience. The seminar was delivered in partnership with KORE Retrofit, whose technical expertise is helping to bring innovative, low carbon retrofit solutions to life across the project.

 

Further Tuath events

‘Exploring the Cost Rental Journey in Ireland from Introduction to Tenant Experience’ – Friday 6 June

Tuath Chief Operating Officer, Bronagh D’Arcy spoke at the in the ‘Exploring the Cost Rental Journey in Ireland from Introduction to Tenant Experience’ session in the Convention Centre Dublin.

 

Housing Alliance Climate Action Working Group – Friday 6 June

On day three of the ISHF – International Social Housing Festival, Tuath partnered with representatives from Clúid and Co-operative Housing Ireland to represent the the Housing Alliance Climate Action Working Group in the session ‘Turning Ambition into Action: Climate Leadership in Irish Social Housing.’

Kate Joyce, Head of Sustainability and Strategic Projects at Tuath Housing, joined with Susan Vickers, Head of Environmental Sustainability at Clúid and David McCourt Director of Asset Management at Co-operative Housing, to discuss providing climate leadership for this informative discussion.

Social Topic Group – storytelling and co-production in social housing – Wednesday 4 June and Thursday 5 June

On Wednesday 4 June, Tuath hosted the first part of this event which brought together three European groups (Eurhonet – the European Housing Network, European Federation for Living (EFL) and Cooperativa Sola) in our office at James’s Place East, which featured a Tuath resident.

 

On Thursday 5 June, Former Chair of Tuath’s Voluntary Board of Directors Paddy Gray chaired a session on behalf of the European Federation for Living in the Convention Centre Dublin, exploring co-production through the voices of residents.

 

Tuath Housing Climate Action Resident Fund Display – Wednesday 4 June to Friday 6 June

Throughout the conference, the work of Tuath’s Climate Action Resident Fund was on display at the Tuath stand in the National Convention Centre.

Rightsizing Scheme in Partnership with Tuath Housing – Thursday 5 June

Springville House, a rightsizing scheme in Cork City was showcased in this discussion organised by Cork City Council.

‘Factory Homes: Can Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Help Address the Affordable Housing Crisis?’ – Thursday 5 June

Barbara Fahy, Tuath Regional Development Manager, joined a thought-provoking panel discussion hosted by Rachel Macrorie on Modern Methods of Construction on the Convention Centre Dublin Innovation Stage. Barbara shared our experience delivering over 1,000 homes through MMC in 2023 alone, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of offsite construction in the Irish context.

‘Making Tenant Engagement a reality’ ITEN research paper – Wednesday 4 June

Margaret Hanrahan, Tuath Tenant Engagement Manager and Claire McDonnell, Tuath Tenant Engagement Coordinator, showcased the work of the Irish Tenant Engagement Network and discussed summary findings on their upcoming research paper on Tenant Engagement. This paper will launch on 25 June.

Tuath Housing is proud to be an executive partner of the 2025 International Social Housing Festival, which will be hosted at the Convention Centre Dublin and a number of nearby sites.

Tuath is set to make a significant impact at the ISHF 2025 with a series of engaging and informative events. Here’s a detailed look at what’s in store:

TUATH-LED EVENTS

Wednesday 4 June

Ellis Court Site Visit – 14:00

Tuath Housing invites festival delegates to visit Ellis Court on Benburb Street in Dublin 7 for a site tour, photo exhibition and panel discussion.

Built in the 1880s, and once part of Ireland’s first ever social housing schemes,  Tuath Housing partnered with Dublin City Council and the Department of Housing to refurbish, regenerate and repurpose this previously derelict development into 22 social homes.

The visit will begin in the courtyard with a workshop led by Dr Ruth McManus from DCU, focusing on the history of social housing, followed by a session on its redevelopment by Marie McNamara, Head of Construction at Tuath and John Campbell from Coady Architects. Meanwhile, residents will share their experiences of living at Ellis Court.

 

 

Registered delegates can take the Red Line Luas from Spencer Dock to Museum to access this event, a journey which takes only 22 minutes. Information on how to register for this event will be released closer to the date.

 

De Verdon Place Site Visit ‘Challenges and opportunities in mixed tenure housing’ – 14:00

Tuath invites ISHF delegates for a site visit and panel discussion at De Verdon Place. This 238-home Cost Rental and social home development on the Malahide Road in Dublin 17 marks Dublin City’s first Cost Rental development and one of Ireland’s largest public housing schemes to date.

The panel discussion, focusing on the tenant experience at De Verdon Place, community initiatives to date and the development’s delivery process, will feature Bronagh D’Arcy, Tuath’s Chief Operating Officer, Martin Loughran, Tuath’s Chief Commercial and Development Officer, and representatives from Dublin City Council and developer GEM Construction Ltd.

Registered delegates can access the event via private transport organised by Tuath Housing. Information on how to register for this event will be released closer to the date.

 

Cost Rental Research Workshop – 14:15

In September 2024, Tuath partnered with Clúid, Respond and researchers from Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin to launch the first major piece of research into Cost Rental housing in Ireland. The report, ‘The Impact of Cost Rental Housing: Security, Affordability and Place,’ was funded by the Housing Agency.

The project partners will come together again at the ISHF to present this research, with speakers including Dr Mick Byrne from University College Dublin, Dr Cian O’Callaghan and residents from Tuath Housing and Clúid. The event will be moderated by Niamh Randall from Respond.

The full report can be found here:

ISHF delegates can attend this event in Liffey Hall 1 of the Convention Centre Dublin.

 

Thursday 5 June

‘Montpelier site visit’ – 14:00

Tuath Housing will participate in a site visit with delegates from the International Social Housing Festival (ISHF) to Montpelier; a new mixed tenure housing development, delivering over 1,000 homes consisting of Cost Rental, Social, and Affordable housing, in Dublin 7. Delegates will tour Montpelier, viewing the first tranche of completed homes which are for sale under the Affordable for sale initiative.   Tuath is working in partnership with Bartra and Dublin City Council to deliver 264 new Cost Rental homes within the development. Marie McNamara, Head of Construction, will discuss Tuath’s Cost Rental programme and explained how these homes will integrate into the new mixed tenure development.  

Friday 6 June

‘A circular approach to retrofitting’ – 11:00

On Friday, Tuath Housing and KORE will host a seminar on Circular Reno in Ireland. The session will cover the project’s background, supply chain development, learnings from initial retrofits, and a ‘show and tell’ with biobased materials. Speakers include Jennifer Whitty and Paul Grennan from Tuath, alongside representatives from KORE and EnergieSprong FR.

The event will take place on the Research Stage at the Convention Centre.

 

 

 

FURTHER EVENTS FEATURING TUATH STAFF AND RESIDENTS AT THE ISHF

All of the below events will take place in the Convention Centre Dublin.

 

Wednesday 4 June, 12:15: An Evidence Based Framework for Tenant Engagement in Ireland

This event will feature the pre-launch of an Irish Tenant Engagement network research paper on tenancy engagement in Ireland with Margaret Hanrahan, Tuath Tenant Engagement Manager in Liffey Meeting Room 2B.

 

Wednesday 4 June, 9:30 and Thursday 5 June, 9:30: Social Topic Group – storytelling and co-production in social housing

On Wednesday 4 June, Tuath will host the first part of this event in our office at 37-42 James’s Place East, which will feature a Tuath resident.

On Thursday 5 June, Former Chair of Tuath’s Voluntary Board of Directors Paddy Gray will chair a session on behalf of the European Federation for Living in Liffey Hall 2 at the Convention Centre.

For further information and to register, visit Social Topic Group Dublin 4 & 5 June 2025 – EFL European Federation for Living

 

Thursday 5 June, 11:00: Factory Homes: ‘Can Modern Methods of Construction help address the affordable housing crisis?’

A member of Tuath’s Development team will feature in this panel discussion, taking place on the Innovation Stage at the Convention Centre.

 

Friday 6 June, 12:00: Housing Alliance Climate Action Welfare Group Session

Kate Joyce, Head of Sustainability and Strategic Projects at Tuath Housing will feature in this event where which will discuss the work of Ireland’s Housing Alliance around sustainability and climate action.

 

Friday 6 June, 14:15: Rightsizing Scheme in Partnership with Tuath Housing

This event, organised by Cork City Council, will discuss Springville House as a rightsizing scheme in Cork City, a development managed by Tuath Housing.

 

Ongoing: Tuath Housing Climate Action Resident fund display

Throughout the conference, the work of Tuath’s Climate Action Resident Fund will be on display in the National Convention Centre.

For further information on the Fund, visit Tuath Foundation – Tuath Housing

 

 

For updates on these innovative projects and initiatives, please visit this webpage and follow the Tuath social media accounts.

For further information on the ISHF, and to register, visit ALL ABOUT ISHF | International Social

 

The results of a survey carried out during quarter 1 of 2025 have just been published, detailing residents’ experiences of how Tuath delivers key services and maintains its homes.

Tuath is delighted to announce that nine in ten residents are satisfied with the overall quality of their homes (89%), while more than more than six out of seven residents are satisfied with the overall service provided by Tuath Housing (85%).

Carrying out this survey is just part of the work Tuath Housing does to involve residents in developing services. As well as publishing the results of the survey, Tuath Housing plans to put the findings to good use by working with residents to further improve the services provided to them.

Please click on the image below to view the Tuath Housing Resident Satisfaction Survey Q1 2025.

Tuath Housing is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Pike as Chair of its Voluntary Board of Directors. A Director since 2022, Richard previously led Tuath’s Audit and Risk Committee.

Richard has extensive experience of plc boards and highly regulated industries. He is particularly skilled in applying excellent governance at firms while developing innovative cultures that utilise new digital technologies effectively. He currently serves as Chair of FBD Insurance plc, Citadel Securities (Ireland) Ltd, and Citadel Securities (Europe) Ltd.

Richard’s earlier roles include senior risk positions with Permanent TSB, JP Morgan, ABN AMRO, and Bain. A recognised authority in operational and financial risk, he lectures at the Institute of Banking and Smurfit Business School and holds the ‘Certified Bank Director’ designation.

His appointment continues a family legacy at Tuath. Richard is following in the footsteps of his father, James Pike, who served as Chair until 2013.

Commenting on his appointment, Richard Pike said:
“It is an honour to take on the role of Chair at Tuath Housing. I look forward to building on the great work already done, working with the Board and executive team to support Tuath’s mission to invest in people and places by delivering more homes and greater choice for individuals and families across Ireland.”

Tuath’s Chief Executive Officer Sean O’Connor welcomed the appointment:
“Richard brings a wealth of knowledge, insight, and leadership to this role. We are confident that under his guidance, Tuath will continue to grow and deliver on its social mission with impact and integrity.”

Richard replaces Prof Paddy Gray as Chair of the Board of Tuath. With over 400 publications on housing-related issues, Paddy has extensive academic and applied research experience and is a regular media commentator and expert advisor to government. He will continue as a Director of the Board.

This new Board term also sees two long-serving Directors come to the end of their tenures. Patricia Goan has stepped down, finishing her role as Vice-Chair of the board and Chair of Development Committee, while Kerry Anthony has also stepped down, finishing as Chair of the Governance and People Committee.

Tuath’s highly skilled Board of Directors is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance consistent with the complexities of the housing sector. The Board oversees our strategic direction, reviews progress, and advises senior management. Tuath Board Members are all volunteers who are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organisation and making sure it has the resources to achieve this.

It is with great sadness that we regret to advise that the death has occurred of Chris Oakes, former Chair, Company Secretary and long-serving Board member of Tuath Housing. Chris gave two decades of loyal service to Tuath, joining the Board in 2003 and retiring in 2023. He was Chair of the Board from 2006 to 2010 and served as Company Secretary from 2016 to 2019.

Chris was a wonderful ambassador and true champion for Tuath. His knowledge, expertise and leadership had a hugely positive impact on the organisation. We are truly grateful for his dedication and the outstanding contribution Chris made to Tuath. He was immensely proud of Tuath’s work and how we had provided secure and affordable homes to thousands of people in housing need. Chris will be greatly missed by everyone who had the luck to know him. Everyone’s thoughts at Tuath are with his family and friends.

Rest in Peace Christopher. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.