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SOCIAL HOUSING MAKES up just under 10% of Ireland’s housing stock, around half the EU average. That reflects negatively when you consider that social housing makes up 29% of the stock in the Netherlands, 24% in Austria and 17% of housing in France. The lack of choice when it comes to housing and access to suitable homes has caused untold misery for so many in this country. It’s clear Ireland has a long way to go.
The need for access to social and affordable housing is not just a huge issue here now, but is also a global phenomenon, and accessing affordable housing is becoming the key issue of our generation. Even international bodies such as the OECD and the EU, which previously had no responsibility in the area, have now placed access to social and affordable housing as a central part of their respective agendas.
It’s a move made with good reason. Good quality housing is linked to enhanced health wellbeing, access to employment opportunities, educational attainment, family life and enhanced social cohesion. Social housing can be both a safety net for vulnerable and low-income households and a platform for other households who wish to have a long-term and stable housing environment in a sustainable community.
It’s against this backdrop that Dublin will become the epicentre for discussions on the global future of social and affordable housing worldwide next week. Thousands of representatives from tenant groups, housing practitioners, policy makers, public and private sector representatives and academics will gather at the Convention Centre Dublin for the 5th International Social Housing Festival. This is the biggest event of this nature to come to Ireland and the Dublin Region.
The event owner, Housing Europe, is a network of 43 national and regional federations across 31 countries which manages around 25 million homes, or 11% of existing dwellings in Europe.
Over 60 people are sleeping out overnight in the hope that they can buy new homes that go on sale at Seven Mills in Dublin tomorrow morning.
— Barry Whyte (@BarryWhyte85) May 23, 2025
The three beds are priced at €480k, €490k and €500k.
Some people have been queuing since 3pm this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/OCKMIdIfyr
Dozens of hopeful homeowners queued last weekend outside a new housing development in Clondalkin, Dublin.
Bringing the festival here represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to listen and learn from experts at all levels on a huge range of issues relating to social and affordable housing, and my team at the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) have been at the centre of organising the Dublin edition. As well as learning and exchange, making connections, exploring solutions and seeking inspiration will underpin the festival event.
No one is more aware of the housing challenges that Ireland has faced and continues to face than the organisations at the front line of the sector, like ourselves, and our colleagues across more than 270 approved housing bodies (AHBs). Our AHB sector operates in hundreds of communities in every local authority area and provides housing and additional services to over 140,000 tenants in more than 65,000 social and cost rental homes.
The AHB sector has had a strong record of delivery of new social and cost rental homes over recent years, and hopes this expansion can be enabled further to meet growing need.
Our member organisations play a critical role in supporting vulnerable populations. In 2024, almost 10,600 social homes were delivered by local authorities and AHBs. AHBs delivered more than 41% of these homes. In addition, 50% of all AHB and local authority new build social housing was provided by AHBs, while almost 89% of our delivery in 2024 was made up of new builds.
We are making progress, but of course, big challenges remain, with the target for social housing missed by about 18% this year. We at the ICSH have been vocal in particular about potential obstacles to social housing delivery. Our AHB members delivered 4,385 social homes via the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) (where the AHB is granted access to funding for the financing of the builds) and Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) last year, which is down on the 2023 figure, and a cause for concern. We don’t want any unnecessary delays impacting social and affordable delivery in 2026 and 2027.
It is vital that any obstacles to project approvals or funding bottlenecks are anticipated and removed to ensure Ireland’s AHB sector can continue its delivery with the capital funding supports under Housing for All, and any plan that succeeds it. Capacity is at a high level in the AHB sector, built over recent years with public and private sector support. It is important not to hinder or stall the progress, but ensure that Government housing commitments and targets are matched with the level of investment support for social and affordable housing. It must be remembered that in Ireland, we lost nearly a decade after the 2007 crash in the fall-off in social and affordable housing delivery, and we are still playing catch-up.
It is important that any review of housing targets and necessary funding and investment under a revised National Development Plan is in place as soon as possible to ensure project approvals and timely delivery for new social and affordable homes.
This is a message I and my colleagues in the sector continue to make to Central Government and our partners in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, local authorities, the Housing Agency, Housing Finance Agency, LDA and all our public and private sector stakeholders. It is only through cooperation with each of these that we can continue to make progress.
Globally, more stable housing markets are characterised by a significant supply of social and affordable housing. Those markets successfully meet the housing needs of families and households who cannot buy or rent in private housing markets. This is a market stability that we are working towards in Ireland, and I look forward to learning many lessons and sharing our experiences with international colleagues at the upcoming event.
Ultimately, it will be up to all parties to continue learning and improving our offering not just to support those in current need of social and affordable housing, but to put the right framework in place to secure a healthy supply into the future.
Donal Mc Manus is CEO of the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), which is the representative body for non-profit and voluntary housing associations in Ireland. He is also Chair of the Housing Europe Internal Market Working Group. The International Social Housing Festival will take place at the Convention Centre Dublin from 4-6 June. Full details are at SocialHousingFestival.eu.
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