The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) is the national representative federation for approved housing bodies (AHBs*) in Ireland. The ICSH Federation comprises a range of members with differing capacity, ambitions, and expertise; each playing their part in meeting housing need. ICSH members deliver housing locally and nationally, as well as providing services that support individuals’ capacity to enjoy their right to full participation in the areas of education, health, employment, social integration and inclusion, housing rights and the environment.
The ICSH represents approximately 270 member organisations that manage close to 55,000 homes that house more than 120,000 people including:
- families on a low income;
- older people;
- disabled people and;
- households experiencing homelessness.
ICSH members operate in every local authority area in the country and in over 500 communities across Ireland.
Housing Association Activity in 2021
Ireland’s approved housing body (also known as housing associations) sector provided 3,792 social and cost rental homes in 2021, 41% of the national total, taking 3,727 households off the social housing waiting list. 75% of AHB delivery in 2021 were new build homes, 10% were acquisitions and 14% were leased homes. In total, 9,183 social homes were delivered in partnership by local authorities and AHBs in 2021.The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) is proud to work on behalf of, and with our members, to create opportunities for greater delivery and new types of housing services by AHBs. AHB delivery is supported by Government funding and AHBs’ own resources. The sector now owns or manages more than 50,000 homes.
- AHBs delivered 41% of all long-term social housing in 2021.
- AHBs increased their output from 3,312 homes in 2020 to 3,792 homes in 2021 (14% increase).
- The 3,792 delivered in 2021 exceeds the combined five-year AHB delivery from 2012-2016.
- 9,183 social homes were delivered in total by local authorities and AHBs in 2021. AHBs delivered 55% of the total new build homes, 31% of acquisitions and 20% of the leased total.
- Of the 535 AHB leased homes, 186 were Mortgage to Rent.
- 756 tenancies were created under Housing First by end of 2021, with several AHBs playing a key role in delivery.
- 98.7% of rent owed by AHB tenants was collected and 2.8% of rent from current tenancies was in arrears in 2021, as reported in the ICSH Housing Association Performance Management (HAPM) Report 2021.
The work of the ICSH is supported by funding from Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the Scheme to Support National organisations.