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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 2022

Ireland’s approved housing body (also known as housing associations) sector reached record delivery levels of almost 5,000 homes in 2022, significantly exceeding the sector’s pre-pandemic delivery in 2019 of 4,127. With almost 55,000 housing association/approved housing body (AHB) homes now in ownership and management, providing permanent homes for families, older people, disabled people and households experiencing homelessness, our sector has grown by 10% year-on-year. Alongside local authorities, our AHB members have ensured that more than one third of all new housing delivered in 2022 is social and affordable cost rental housing. It is important that this trend continues. Social and (in particular) cost rental housing, will represent a much greater proportion of annual housing delivery over the coming years. 470 cost rental homes were delivered by AHBs in 2022.

AHB Activity in 2022

  • 2022 marked the highest level of housing delivery in a year by housing associations (approved housing bodies)
  • AHBs delivered almost 5,000 new social and cost rental homes homes in 2022.
  • AHBs delivered 4,479 social homes in 2022, 44% of all social housing delivery.
  • 69% of cost rental housing in 2022 was delivered by AHBs, with 470 homes.
  • The AHB sector collectively owns and manages more than 55,000 homes.
  • 85% of AHB social housing delivery in 2022 were new build homes.
  • 710 homes for people with additional needs were provided by AHBs in 2022 (twice that of 2021).
  • 176 older person (age-friendly) homes were completed in 2022 (three times as many as 2021)
  • 81 AHB Mortgage to Rent (MTR) homes were completed in 2022.
  • Around 10% of housing association delivery included using vacant residential and commercial properties such as pubs, pubs and offices.

The work of the ICSH is supported by funding from Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the Scheme to Support National organisations.