Tuath welcomes the appointment of Prof. Paddy Gray as Chair of the Board of Directors.

Welcoming the appointment, Sean O’Connor, CEO of Tuath said: “Paddy is a highly respected academic and leading figure in social housing. He is a valued member of our Board of Management and provides us with vast expertise and experience in housing that will help Tuath deliver our strategic vision and mission. I and all the team at Tuath look forward to working with Paddy in his new role as Chair at this uniquely challenging time where the importance of having a safe, secure and affordable home has never been greater”.

A Professor at the University of Ulster, Paddy was awarded a Distinguished Community Fellowship by the University  for outstanding work in the community. He has extensive academic and applied research experience with over 400 publications on housing related issues. Among Paddy’s accomplishments are his appointment as the first and only Irish President of the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2010. He is on the board of the Wheatley Group in Scotland, Chair of the Wheatley Foundation, Vice Chair of Glasgow Housing Association, and on the Board of City Building Glasgow. He is Chair of Connswater Homes, Chair of iCare Housing and a member of Residential Tenancies Board in Ireland. In 2012 was awarded an honorary Fellowship of RICS. In 2015 he won the UK national award for Outstanding Contribution to Work Experience. In 2017 he was named the top Power Player in Housing in the UK & Ireland and in 2020 was awarded an OBE for his service to Housing and communities. He is a visiting professor at Spiru Haret University, Romania and Jiangxia University, Fujian China.  In 2021, Paddy was appointed by Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, to sit on the newly formed Housing Commission.

Prof. Gray’s appointment comes shortly after former chair Daragh O’Sullivan announced his retirement as member and Chair of Tuath Housing Association’s Voluntary Board of Directors after 11 busy years. The outgoing Chair noted recently that he had “been part of a great team and saw the Association grow and help build communities. I have particularly loved this part of my role where I get to see first-hand what can be achieved by working in partnership with our key stakeholders, so thank you for this.”

We thank Daragh for his dedication and commitment to the Board of Tuath Housing. Daragh has tirelessly given his time and resources to help Tuath improve services and focus on delivering more homes. As we look back on Daragh’s time with us, we know that our achievements would not have been possible without him at the helm. We look forward to working from the platform Daragh and the Board of Directors have created and continue our mission ‘to provide good quality, secure homes that people can afford’.

 

Tuath Residents and Staff Celebrate European Neighbours’ Day 2022

International European Neighbours’ Day on the 27th of May was celebrated across the country and saw hundreds of residents organising planting days, coffee mornings, afternoon teas, music, sharing European dishes with neighbours, sports and clean up days. Tuath supported 35 schemes by providing bee friendly planting kits and trees to encourage community inclusion and support biodiversity and create better neighbourhoods where people enjoy living.

The awareness day gave residents an opportunity to hold community events that they may have been missed out on over the past two years because of the pandemic. One event held in Tramore, Co. Waterford saw residents enjoy Irish music, tree and summer planting, refreshments and much more. James, An Garran Residents’ Group, Tramore said “It was wonderful to see our residents, staff from Tuath housing, the council, and a courtesy call from our local garda station all mixing together which created a real feeling of community spirit and that’s precisely what we are trying to achieve”

In Liscorrie, Co. Louth residents organised a large clean up and planting day. In Cork, the sun shone as residents came together and planted some lovely summer plants to brighten up the scheme. Across Europe and now even further around the world, over 30 million people celebrate the day every year. Many thanks to all those who took part in Tuaths’ European Neighbours’ Day 2022.

Woodside, Enniskerry Road , Ireland’s first purpose built Cost Rental housing development,  wins Social Housing Development of the Year at the National Property Awards 2022

Daragh O’Sullivan, Chairman of Tuath Housing commented; “We are thrilled to have won the award for best Social Housing Development of the Year, along with our partners Respond, for this ground-breaking development of Ireland’s first purpose-built cost rental scheme combined with 105 high quality social homes at Woodside , Enniskerry Rd. We were delighted to have worked closely on the delivery of these homes with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the Housing Agency, the Housing Finance Agency and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage. Huge credit must also go to Duggan Brothers for delivering the highest standard of homes at Woodside. The rent paid by the new tenants will cover the cost of providing, managing and maintaining the homes for decades to come, and not a cent more. This flagship project offers the new tenants a much more affordable, long-term and secure form of rental tenure with the added benefit that their rent will not be driven by future price hikes in the private rental market. We look forward to supporting the new tenants at Woodside, engaging and creating a sustainable community. We are pleased to be working on another six cost rental schemes and we look forward to allocating 250 properties throughout 2022 and 2023”.

 

Tuath Housing Association and Cavan County Council today welcomed Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien to Cavan where he visited a 25-home development at Drumalee Manor and presented keys to one of its newest residents Elaine Ryan and her family.

To date, 12 of the new homes have been completed and allocated, by Tuath Housing, to people from the Cavan County Council housing waiting list. The remaining 13 homes are due for delivery in September of this year. The development is located within the pre-existing Drumalee Manor Estate, just outside Cavan town, which contains a mix of social homes and privately owned housing. The 25 new A-rated houses currently being delivered will bring the total number of homes in Drumalee Manor Estate to 108, with Tuath managing 36 homes in this development.

Tuath Housing are delighted to have worked in partnership with the Council and developers Onyx Homes Limited on this development which will consist of 9 no. 2 bed homes, 15 no. 3 bed homes and 1 no. 4 bed homes on completion. Drumalee Manor is situated in a prime location only a short distance from a range of primary and secondary schools, Cavan Institute, Cavan Leisure Complex, and a host of other retail and social amenities along the Coothill Road.  The new homes have been funded via private finance from the Housing Finance Agency and a loan from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

Tuath Housing already manages 113 homes throughout Cavan with a pipeline of a further 65 homes over the next 2 years. The Association currently has over 8,500 homes in management nationwide and, with a strong pipeline in place, are on course to deliver 1,400 homes in 2022.

Commenting, Minister O’Brien said, “High-quality, well-located homes transform lives – providing security, stability and quality of life for families and individuals. Under Housing for All we are now building those homes on a scale not seen for many years, with 9,000 new social homes to be built across the country this year. The work of Approved Housing Bodies will be key to sustaining and building on that momentum, and I’d like to thank Tuath for their work in making these new homes here at Drumalee Manor a reality. It was a privilege to meet some of the new tenants here today, and I wish them the best of luck in their new homes.”  

Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council Clifford Kelly said “We are delighted to welcome the Minister here today to see these news homes that Cavan County Council and Tuath have delivered in Drumalee. Housing is so important to us here in Cavan, indeed as it is in every county, and this visit gives us the opportunity to discuss with the Minister the many difficulties we currently face with regards to the housing situation here. It also gives us a chance to talk about how we can overcome these obstacles and make real progress, like we are seeing today, with the completion of more homes”.

CEO of Tuath Sean O’Connor noted “We continue to play our part in the Governments Housing for All plan, and I am delighted to say that Tuath are on track to deliver approximately over 1,400 homes nationwide in 2022. I’d also like to say a big thank you to Cavan County Council for their partnership – one that continues to strengthen year on year. Tuath has now worked with the council to deliver 113 homes in the county, providing some 190 tenants with long-term, affordable, secure places to live.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien T.D. opened Ireland’s first purpose build cost rental homes today. The scheme of 155 homes (50 cost rental and 105 social housing) is delivered by Respond and Tuath Approved Housing Bodies in partnership with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency.

‘Woodside’ in Stepaside (Dublin) is a unique development. The homes will be managed by Respond and Tuath Housing.  The homes are a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom properties. All of the 50 Cost Rental homes are 2-bedroom apartments. The Cost Rental apartments will be let at a monthly rent of €1,200, a significant reduction when compared to market rents for 2-bedroom apartments in this location. The rent charged to tenants will cover the cost of delivering, managing and maintaining these homes and will not be driven by market movements.

Niamh Randall, Spokeperson for Respond said: “Respond are delighted to be involved in such a unique collaboration, bringing these 50 Cost Rental Homes to people who have been caught in an impossible situation where they do not qualify for social housing yet a mortgage is out of their reach. Some tenants have been struggling to pay high rents in the Private Rental Sector. Cost rental is a new departure in the delivery of housing in Ireland, providing a new type of housing tenure in addition to social housing, private renting and private purchase. Respond have been advocating for some time for a sustainable and replicable cost rental model.  We very much look forward to working with our partners to deliver additional cost rental homes around the country to those who are eligible in areas where they are needed.”

Daragh O’Sullivan, Chairman of Tuath Housing commented: “Tuath are proud to partner with Respond on this ground-breaking development of Ireland’s first purpose-built cost rental scheme combined with 105 high quality homes for social rent in beautiful surroundings. We were also delighted to have worked closely on the delivery of these homes with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the Housing Agency, the Housing Finance Agency and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage. The rent paid by tenants will cover the cost of providing, managing and maintaining the homes for decades to come, and not a cent more. This flagship project offers moderate income households a much more affordable, long-term and secure form of rental tenure with the added benefit that their rent will not be driven by future price hikes in the private rental market. We are pleased to be working on another six cost rental schemes and we look forward to allocating 250 properties throughout 2022 and 2023”.

Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “It’s my absolute pleasure to officially open Woodside here on the Enniskerry Road in Stepaside which consists of 105 social homes and 50 cost rental homes which will be managed and maintained by both Tuath and Respond Housing Associations. The Government’s Housing for All plan sets us on a pathway to delivering 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030. 90,000 of these will be social homes and 18,000 of these will be Cost Rental homes. Development’s such as this one which has been championed by Tuath and Respond with the support of my Department and South Dublin County Council are exactly what the Government want to, and will, deliver at scale. I want to commend everyone who played their role in bringing this project to fruition and wish all of the people who will make their home here the very best of luck.”

CEO of the Housing Agency Bob Jordan: “We warmly welcome the official opening of the Woodside Development at Enniskerry Road, which will provide 155 much needed social and cost rental homes. The Housing Agency is playing a key role in the national rollout of cost rental homes, and we were pleased to transfer land to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for this first cost rental development on public land in Ireland. The Housing Agency has worked closely with the local authority as well as with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Tuath, Respond, and the Housing Finance Agency in delivering this project. We look forward to working together on future developments and we wish the tenants of Enniskerry Road many happy years in their new homes.”

CEO of the Housing Finance Agency, Barry O’Leary: ‘The HFA is delighted to support Respond and Tuath with this major new mixed use development on the Enniskerry Road which will provide a combination of 155 social and affordable cost rental homes for families in and around Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. We remain committed to supporting the strong delivery of social and affordable homes across the country and will continue to provide competitively priced long term fixed rate finance to Respond, Tuath and others in the sector.’

Cathaoirleach Lettie McCarthy:“I am delighted to be here to open the first purpose built cost rental housing scheme in Ireland. This development will provide much needed housing to the people of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and it is wonderful to see a development which will provide security of tenure to its residents. I look forward to seeing similar schemes in the future.”

Cathaoirleach of the county of Kildare, Cllr. Naoise Ó Cearúil welcomed An Taoiseach Micheál Martin to Castlefen in Sallins today where he officially opened 29 new homes delivered by Tuath Housing in partnership with Kildare County Council. The official opening also featured a visit, by An Taoiseach, to the local community hall where he met with members of the Castlefen Resident’s Association.

All 29 homes are located within the preexisting Castlefen estate, a growing area within Sallins between the Liffey and Clane Road. Kildare County Council provided the site for this project and Tuath is delighted to have worked in partnership with the Local Authority on this direct build development consisting of nine 1 bed houses, 12 two bed and eight 3 bed houses. These new homes have been funded via private finance from the Housing Finance Agency and a loan from the Department of Housing. The average price of the 29 A rated, contemporary homes delivered at Castlefen is €261,500, representing excellent value for money. The new homes are currently being allocated by Tuath Housing to people from the Kildare County Council housing waiting list.

Tuath delivered its first homes in Kildare back in 2010 at Kilcock, Athy, Cellbridge and nearby Liffey Square East in Sallins. The approved housing body has continued working with the local authority since then to deliver over 520 homes, with aims to deliver a further 200 homes in the County by the end of 2022. This pipeline also includes two cost rental projects which will introduce a new form of long-term sustainable home rental for moderate income earners. The Association now has over 8,500 homes nationwide in every local authority area, housing over 23,000 people, and is on course to deliver over 1,400 homes in 2022.

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin commented “Modern, safe and secure homes such as the ones delivered here at Castlefen are instrumental in fostering sustainable communities. I hope the security and comfort that they provide, backed by the support of Tuath, Kildare County Council and an active resident’s association, will continue to make this a vibrant and caring place to live for all residents, new and old. Housing is the number one priority in my view, that is why I am delighted to be here to witness firsthand the end result of collaboration between AHB’s, local authorities and our financial institutions, working together with government for our collective goal of providing more homes for those who need them.”

Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Naoise Ó Cearúil said “Kildare County Council has had a strong relationship with Tuath since 2010 and that partnership has ensured that over 520 homes have been delivered in the County. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Tuath for their partnership over the past 12 years and look forward to seeing more homes being delivered in the future. Today’s announcement of 29 homes is wonderful news for 29 families that will make Castlefen their home. I’d like to thank the Taoiseach for being with us today and for his and the Government’s commitment to delivering housing for all.”

Daragh O’Sullivan, Chairman of Tuath’s Voluntary Board of Directors said “We are delighted to be working with Kildare County Council once more to provide new social homes in the County and, with a strong pipeline in place for 2022 look forward to continuing this strong partnership. As an Approved Housing Body, we aim to continue investing in people and places by providing more homes and more choice.”

 Barry O’Leary, CEO of the Housing Finance Agency noted “The HFA is delighted to support this new development in Castlefen which will provide a mix of superb one-, two- and three-bedroom homes for individuals and families in Kildare. We will continue to provide competitively priced long term fixed rate finance to Tuath, and others in the sector, to support the strong delivery of social and affordable homes across the country.”

The TORC Housing Partnership is delighted to announce that it has reached a significant milestone with the completion of all 465 ‘A’ rated energy efficient homes in the 2nd Social Housing PPP Bundle.

These homes have been delivered in eight schemes across six counties – Cork, Kildare, Clare, Galway, Waterford, and Roscommon – as part of the Government’s Social Housing PPP Programme which aims to deliver around 1,500 new homes in Ireland.

The TORC Housing Partnership was awarded the contract with the consortium led by Equitix who, together with Kajima Partnerships, are the lead sponsors and long-term majority investors in the project. The construction works were completed in a joint venture between JJ Rhatigan & Co. and the Spanish firm, Obrascon Huarte Lain S.A (OHLA).

Facilities management services will be provided by Derwent FM for a 25-year service period and Tuath will provide tenancy management services. The homes remain in State ownership and are returned to the local authorities in a pre-defined condition at the end of the service period.

Construction works commenced on the project in November 2019, with a phased completion between Q2-Q4 2021. Well done to the construction joint venture team of JJ Rhatigan & Co. and OHLA which has completed and handed over all units to the respective local authorities for immediate occupation.

The TORC Housing Partnership looks forward to continuing our collaborative relationship with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the approving Authority, Cork County Council, the sponsoring agency and lead authority, the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), procuring authority, project manager and financial advisor, and the five other local authorities in the bundle.

TORC Sustainable Housing Holding Ltd, Reg address 7/8 Wilton Terrace Dublin 2
Directors: R Ochoa De Ocariz, A Rymer, K O’Brien, C Smailes, K Taylor, S O’Connor

TORC Sustainable Housing Limited, 24 Marlboro Street, Cork, Co. Cork, T12 X0KR.
T: 01 485 2020 E: [email protected] W: www.torcsustainablehousing.ie