Over 450 members of housing associations, councils, state bodies and more join ICSH conference
The largest gathering of stakeholders in the Irish housing sector this year is getting underway with the opening of the ICSH National Social Housing Conference. Organised by the Irish Council for Social Housing, the event will see more than 450 representatives from housing associations or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), local authorities, state bodies and more discuss a range of topics under the theme ‘Maintaining Momentum – Delivering Homes for All’.
The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) is the national representative federation for AHBs in Ireland. Its conference is being staged ahead of the much anticipated update to the government’s Housing for All plan, which is expected to be published in the coming weeks.
CEO of the ICSH Donal McManus says their members represent a vital part of the housing landscape: “AHBs alone provided more than 4300 new social homes and over 1200 cost rental homes last year – that’s 41% of total social housing and 56% of total cost rental delivery.
The AHB sector has significantly built up its delivery capacity in recent years and this conference takes place against the backdrop of the soon to be published new National Housing Plan and the AHB strategic plan.
All this means we’re uniquely positioned to understand the demand for these kinds of services, identify the gaps in the system and recognise how they should be addressed. On this occasion, we will focus on how we can improve and expand the offerings for Ireland’s older and disabled people.
Our conferences represent a fantastic opportunity for all stakeholders – from residents to state bodies – to share their experiences and recommendations on how we can move the sector forward and ensure delivery for all”.
The winners of the 2025 ICSH Community Housing Awards, sponsored by IPB Insurance, will also be announced during the conference. 31 nominees from around Ireland made the shortlist for categories that span all aspects of effective Community Housing projects and each nominee is also eligible for the Public Choice Award. One nominee will take home the Overall Winner award.
President of the ICSH Tina Donaghy has praised the standard of entries this year: “We have had a fantastic response to this year’s awards, both in terms of entries and support. Our judges were looking for innovation, creativity and commitment and they were amazed by the quality of projects around the country. The dedication of our AHB members shone through in each entry and I’d like to wish them all the best of luck”.