ICSH reveals annual report and calls for members to have a central role in the new local authority Housing Delivery Action Plans
The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) has revealed its housing association members (also known as approved housing bodies or AHBs) delivered a record 7,005 social and cost rental homes in 2025. The announcement was made at the organisation’s AGM, attended by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD today.
The figures in the ICSH Delivery Report also show:
- The 7,005 total homes figure is made up of 5,465 new social homes and 1,540 cost rental homes, delivered by AHBs. This is a 25% increase from 2024 output.
- This total represents growth of more than 500% in ten years, and 10% average annual growth each year since 2016.
- AHBs delivered 52% of total social housing and 66% of total cost rental homes last year.
- AHBs around the country now own and manage more than 75,000 homes providing housing certainty and stability for low- and middle-income households.
- The sector is on track to own and manage a total of up to 100,000 homes by 2030.
- The total number of cost rental homes delivered by AHBs had reached 3,500 last year, just four years after they entered the sector in 2021 with 65 such units.
Minister Browne congratulated the ICSH on the progress made during 2025:
“I am absolutely determined to address the housing challenges we face, and this Government is responding with unprecedented investment in social and cost rental homes so people can build secure futures they can afford.
“Under our Housing Action Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, we are delivering homes of all tenures to meet different needs, working in close partnership with the Approved Housing Bodies that are central to this effort.
The record levels of delivery we are seeing reflect the dedication and expertise of the Irish Council for Social Housing and its member AHBs. I have worked closely with these organisations and seen first-hand the commitment they bring.”.
CEO Donal McManus says the report “shows a significant expansion in delivery of the sector which is very welcome and demonstrates the strong record of the AHB sector”. However there is a continuing downward trend in the number of homes delivered under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS): “This funding programme is vital for supporting AHB work supporting vulnerable populations such as the homeless, older people and people with disabilities, who often suffer greatest levels of housing exclusion.
Our members delivered 402 homes under CAS funding in 2025 which is down from over 1,000 in 2009. New local authority Housing Delivery Action Plans should include the housing needs of those in need of additional supports in their targets. Furthermore, capital funding schemes for social housing, including those for AHBs, should enable delivery of more supported housing”.
Overall, Donal McManus says the figures demonstrate how effective Ireland’s AHBs can be: “AHBs are housing specialists, capable of delivering housing at scale even in challenging environments. Since 2020, AHBs have delivered more than 30,000 new homes; even through significant challenges including the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. AHB output has continued to grow and in partnership, with and supported by local authorities and other public and private sector bodies around Ireland, our members are doing exemplary work in alleviating some of the worst impacts of Ireland’s housing crisis”.
For more information please contact:
Ciara McDonagh, Healy Communications on behalf of the Irish Council for Social Housing
087 1821369 or ciara@healycommunications.ie
Editor’s Notes:
- The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) is the national federation for non-profit housing associations representing more than 270 member organisations that manage more than 75,000 homes for families, older people, disabled people and households experiencing homelessness. ICSH members operate in every local authority area in the country and in hundreds of communities across Ireland.
- The Housing Association Activity Report 2025 is available to download at www.icsh.ie
- Overall Social Housing Output in 2025 (provided by both local authorities, housing associations/AHBs): 10,571. of which AHBs delivered 5,465 (52%).
- Overall cost rental delivery: 2,347. This includes 1,540 AHB cost rental homes delivered in 2025. 508 were delivered by the Land Development Agency (LDA) and 247 by local authorities. There were also 52 Cost Rental Tenant in-Situ (CRTiS) Housing Agency purchases in 2025.
- Our 2025 social housing delivery meets government target for the sector of 40-50% of national delivery. We said in 2016 that with the right supports we could deliver 5,000 homes a year. And we have been exceeding that over the past few years.
Additional resources:
