– ICSH Finance and Development Conference 2024, 16th to 17th October, Sligo –
The Irish Council for Social Housing is hosting its 8th Finance and Development conference in Sligo on 16th and 17th October, sponsored by AIB, which will focus on how housing associations (also known as approved housing bodies) can ramp up the delivery of social and affordable housing.
“The approved housing body (AHB) sector has seen huge growth over the past 10 years. From a delivery low of 211 homes in 2013, to 5,924 new social and cost rental homes in 2023. Over the same period, our sector has grown from 27,000 homes to more than 65,000, a year-on-year average increase of 10%. The AHB sector has been a key player in a statewide social and affordable housing recovery and our Sligo Conference is about looking at the tools we need to sustain this momentum, remove any obstacles, and confidently deliver on the new housing targets that we expect to be announced over the coming weeks. So says Donal McManus, CEO of the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), at their Biennial Finance & Development Conference, Sponsored by AIB, in Sligo on 16th-17th October.
“We’re three years into the multi-annual investment commitment of Housing For All plan, under which AHBs are delivering 40-50% of social housing in each local authority. The Budget 2025 capital funding commitment of €2.157bn (an increase of €257m on 2024) to deliver 10,000 new-build social homes, and 1,000 Cost Rental homes via €300m provided under the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) mechanism signals commitment and confidence from government in the capacity of AHBs and our local authority partners to scale-up delivery of social and affordable rental homes. The sector is keen too to ensure greater diversity of finance, both public and private, for our social and affordable housing delivery programme. However, our increased delivery also needs to respond to regional and national demographics, providing for the needs of large and small family households, single-persons, older, disabled and homeless persons households. In addition, we’ve had the establishment of the AHB Strategic Forum to set a vision for the sector over the next 10 years, alongside the Housing Commission Report’s very welcome recommendations for the AHB sector, which has called for a political commitment to treat housing as critical social and economic infrastructure. These have been important vehicles for putting shape on the long-term strategic issues for the AHB sector. Our conference will be discussing our sector’s future against this backdrop.”
As part of our upcoming Finance and Development Conference, the ICSH will also spotlight the social and sustainability impact of approved housing bodies and local authorities through a dedicated conference session that will showcase four initiatives led by approved housing bodies or local authorities in a Dragon’s Den style, social Impact pitching session. During our Social Impact 2024 session, a winner will be selected from four shortlisted entries from AHBs and local authorities, who will showcase initiatives that have taken a proactive and pioneering approach to improving the sustainability and wellbeing of the communities they serve.
Cathy Bryce, Managing Director of AIB Capital Markets said “Sustainable communities are at the heart of what AIB does. AIB is proud to return as the main sponsor of the ICSH annual conference again. We are particularly delighted to sponsor the Social Impact award 2024 and provide the winning entry with a masterclass with the AIB Social Housing team and Goodbody Clearstream focused on measuring and enhancing the organisation and project’s sustainability practices. We look forward to communities reaping the benefits of sustainable innovation.”
At the one-and-a-half day event, we will hear from a range of speakers including John O’Connor, Chair, Housing Commission and Conor O’Toole, Associate Research Professor, ESRI, who’ll both reflect on the social and economic landscape for new housing delivery. We’ll hear about models for collaboration from our international colleague Bjorn Mallants, a leading Flemish expert on social housing and Chair of Housing Europe’s finance committee. Colette Bennett, Director of Advocacy and Research, The Wheel will speak of the wider challenges facing the wider community and voluntary sector. Johanna Varghese, Programme Manager, Irish Green Building Council will consider the challenges to ensuring that social and environmental best practices are at the forefront of new housing delivery. And Helen Shaw, Writer in Residence, Data Stories Project, Maynooth University, will contribute to the bigger housing picture and how delivery and management is about creating communities, not commodities.
