Three Dublin County Councils hold inaugural Local Authority/Approved Housing Bodies Forum

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin County Councils have come together with Approved Housing Bodies at the inaugural meeting of a Regional Forum to discuss continued partnership opportunities and enhance the delivery of housing. 

Catherine Keenan, Director of Housing, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, who hosted the inaugural meeting said: “Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies share an overarching objective to provide and manage homes for individuals and families who need support in meeting their accommodation needs.  I am delighted that 26 Approved Housing Bodies operating across the Dublin Counties have come together with the Local Authorities to participate in this Forum."

The purpose of the Regional Forum is to bring together leaders in the development of social housing across the sector, to gather learning and experience; to review and monitor targets and delivery streams; to ensure that the process for opportunities for shared projects is transparent and fair and to examine how issues impacting delivery can be addressed.

Margaret Geraghty, Director of Housing, Fingal County Council said: “There are many fine examples of housing delivery through partnerships with Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies. We need to share information and opportunities, building on our previous successful partnerships and streamline our joint processes in order to house people quicker.”

The Regional Forum will provide an opportunity to network with leaders from across the sector and to contribute to working groups and the sharing of best practice.  The Forum will meet quarterly and will be hosted by the three Local Authorities on a rotational basis.

Commenting on the development of the new Forum, Colm Ward, Director of Housing, South Dublin County Council, said: “We are all committed to capitalising on links within the sector to develop best practice and grow capacity for delivery.”

Donal McManus, CEO of the Irish Council for Social Housing welcomed the Forum stating “We look forward to the continued co-operation between the three local authorities and the Approved Housing Bodies to assist in our joint effort to deliver more homes to people in need of social housing”.