The Staff of the ICSH undertake the delivery and development of its services and programmes.
Dr. Donal McManus – CEO
Donal McManus is CEO at the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), the national federation of housing associations. He previously worked in the public/local authority and housing association sectors in Scotland and Northern Ireland from 1991. This comprised working in areas of housing development, self-build and regeneration, housing management and homelessness, as well as being employed in policy and finance. Donal has also worked as an urban designer within the private sector on land assembly and development appraisals.
Previously he had been elected president of the non-profit housing section of Housing Europe, President of the European Housing Forum and FEANTSA. From 2003-2005 he was appointed a member of the UN-ECE Task Force on Social Housing based in Geneva.
He is a graduate in Housing and Industrial Studies from Ulster University and in Urban Design from Strathclyde University School of Architecture Glasgow. He received a doctorate in Governance from Queens University School of Law, Belfast focusing on financialisation and the impact of private finance on housing association delivery. He is currently a board member of the Housing Agency and appointed chair of Housing Europe Internal Market Working Group.
Email: donal@icsh.ie
Tel: 01 6618334
Éadaoin Ní Chléirigh – Director of Development Operations
Prior to taking up her position at the ICSH, Éadaoin was CEO of Richmond Barracks. Having proposed the Barracks as a social regeneration project, she oversaw the restoration, and its subsequent opening as a city museum in Inchicore. Éadaoin has a long track record in community development and has led two regeneration projects in Dublin’s south inner city. She has worked with the local authority, community interests and housing associations in the delivery of new social housing and refurbishment projects, as well as spearheading research and sourcing funding for numerous social projects in these areas. Eadaoin’s academic background includes conflict resolution and negotiation, and she holds a Masters in Mediation and Conflict Resolution from NUIM.
Email: eadaoin@icsh.ie
Direct Dial : 01 6910891
Ailbhe McLoughlin – Director of Policy
Ailbhe McLoughlin is the Director of Policy for the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH). She joined the ICSH in June 2022 and is responsible for supporting members’ policy requirements while proactively engaging with stakeholders to promote the role of the ICSH in assisting our members in the delivery of social and affordable homes. Prior to taking up this role, Ailbhe was the housing policy adviser to Sinn Féin in the Oireachtas. Along with policy development, She also has experience in communications and research. Ailbhe has degree in Law and Spanish from the Queens University in Belfast. She also has a Professional Diploma in Housing Studies from the Institute of Public Administration and was recently awarded a Msc in Politics and Data Science from University College Dublin. Ailbhe is currently undertaking a professional diploma in Leadership and Innovation.Ailbhe is Director of ISHF Dublin 2025. The ICSH with support from CHI, is hosting the International Social Housing Festival in the Convention Centre, Dublin in June 2025. Ailbhe is working with Housing Europe and other key stakeholders to deliver a successful event.
Email : ailbhe@icsh.ie
Direct Dial: 016910892
Fiona O’Driscoll – Financial Lead
Fiona O’Driscoll is the Financial Lead with the ICSH. She provides a dedicated financial support resource to assist interested Approved Housing Bodies that are keen to enter or increase their role in the delivery of supported housing projects. She assists these AHBs access capital loan finance through the CALF/P&A and loan financing delivery models available to the Approved Housing Body Sector.
She also offers support for AHBs wishing to achieve certified status with the HFA, or to explore funding opportunities through the HFA’s Tier 2 product. This role is for a fixed term two-year contract is part funded by the HFA.
Over the last eight years, Fiona worked closely with AHBs and loan funders for social housing in previous roles as a Fund Manager for Gresham House Ireland and a Director in Centrus Advisors. She has advised AHBs on treasury and risk management, financial strategy and business planning and financial capacity analysis as well as raising loan finance in the Irish market.
Fiona has a BSC in Financial and Actuarial Mathematics from DCU and in 2015 graduated from the Lisbon International MBA with a major in social finance focusing on capacity building and investment readiness.
Email: fiona@icsh.ie
Tel: 01 6910899
Dolores Byrne – Finance & Office Manager
Dolores joined the ICSH in January 2021, She brings experience from working in Operations and Finance in the Community and Voluntary Sector for over 20 years, the majority spent with The CARI Foundation. She has trained in Accounts, Payroll and Business Management and will be responsible for ICSH Finance and Office Management.
Email : dolores@icsh.ie
Direct Dial: 016910889
Catherine McGillycuddy – Development Specialist (Education and Membership)
Catherine is an ICSH Development Specialist. Her main areas of responsibility include supporting ICSH members through the provision of a diverse education and training programme, developing and overseeing services to members, the management of European programmes and advising ICSH members on operational issues. Catherine has a degree in social science and a Masters degree in sociology, both from University College Cork. She has almost 20 years experience working in social housing, with an approved housing body, a local authority and, for the majority of her career, with the ICSH.
Email: catherine@icsh.ie
Direct Dial: 016910894
Kevin Ryan – Collaboration Manager
Kevin Ryan is the Collaboration Manager with the ICSH, having spent over nine years working with the federation for housing associations. During this time, he has had a number of roles focusing on strengthening the sector focus and members’ capacity in the areas of organisational sustainability and regulation. Kevin works with members at all levels and has been central to expanding the ICSH role in the area of collaboration and consolidation. This is an area that will take on an increased importance over the next number of years as the AHB sector continues to evolve to meet new and existing challenges.
Kevin has a BA (Hons)in Economics and Geography from UCC and has also completed a Masters in Regional and Urban Planning in UCD. In previous roles Kevin has delivered projects in economic and social analysis with Dublin City Council and regulation policy with the Department of Primary Industries in Australia.
Email:: kevin@icsh.ie
Direct Dial : 016910893
Keelin McCarthy – Development Specialist (Housing Management)
Keelin’s role in ICSH is to assist housing associations with all aspects of their housing management responsibilities This includes assistance with the requirements under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act (RTA) e.g. registration of tenancies and assistance with dispute processes. Her responsibilities include providing advice and guidance on relevant legislation relating to housing management e.g. RTA, The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, EU General Data Protection Regulation etc; compiling quarterly and annual HAPM results, development and update of guidance documents; delivering information meetings and seminars and field visits to housing associations where required.
Keelin also has responsibility for ICSH’s Housing Management and Special Needs Working Group and sits on various inter-agency steering groups and committees to feed in to this.
In previous roles Keelin has worked as a Town Planner and has worked with Age Action on their Lifelong Learning Programme.
Keelin has an Honours BA Degree in Geography and Philosophy (UCD) and has completed Masters in Sustainable Development (DIT) and in Regional and Urban Planning (UCD).
Email: keelin@icsh.ie
Direct Dial: 016910896
Lyndsey Anderson – Housing Policy Specialist (Social and Affordable Delivery)
Lyndsey is a Housing Policy Specialist in the ICSH. She is responsible for policy development and supporting members to deliver social and affordable housing nationally.
Prior to joining the ICSH Lyndsey led a national network of prevention and early intervention services for children and families. Lyndsey has almost 20yrs experience working in the voluntary housing sector in Ireland. She has experience of both policy and practice having worked across three regeneration projects in Dublin’s south inner city, leading the projects in two flats complexes. In these roles, Lyndsey led a range of social, physical, and cultural projects, establishing targeted interventions for children and young people and community health projects, and securing National and European funding for these. Prior to this, Lyndsey worked with two large Approved Housing Bodies, Respond Housing Associations and The Iveagh Trust. Lyndsey has an honours degree in social science and a master’s degree in social policy (Research) from University College Dublin.
Email: lyndsey@icsh.ie
Direct Dial: 016910897
Mairéad Holohan – Administrative Assistant
Mairéad joined the ICSH as Administration Officer in December 2015. She has a wealth of experience from working in the community and voluntary sector for a number of years including working with Disability Federation of Ireland. Mairéad is a Dublin native who has obtained a degree in social science from University College Dublin. Mairéad is responsible for much of the day-to-day administration of the ICSH including invoicing and accounts, event-planning, annual affiliations and Garda vetting.
Email: mairead@icsh.ie
Direct Dial: 016910888
Ken Reid – Information and Communications Coordinator
Ken is responsible for the information and communications function of the ICSH. This includes publishing and distributing digital and print materials for ICSH members and other stakeholders, drafting press briefings and position papers, liaising with members to maximise the flow of information and profile the work of members and the sector collectively and promoting the views of the ICSH to external stakeholders.
Ken has extensive experience in the area of information management and information referral and advocacy services and is experienced in managing the lifecycle of technical, research and promotional publications as well as formal training in collating, cataloguing and disseminating information.
Ken has a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCD has as well as postgraduate qualifications in IT and Technical Communication, and Child Protection and Welfare.
Email:kenreid@icsh.ie
Direct Dial: 016910898