Welcome to Housing Insights, the podcast that cuts through
the complexity of housing in Ireland. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just curious about the topic, join hosts David Silke and Roslyn Molloy as they profile the vital work of the Housing Agency.
Our mission is simple: to deepen your understanding of the
Irish housing landscape and give clear, expert knowledge straight from the source on critical topics.
Navigating Ireland's Housing Future: Insights with Martin Whelan
Host David Silke interviews Martin Whelan, CEO of The Housing Agency, about Ireland's housing future, policy, and sector transformation.
5 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT
The Role of Apartments and MUDs in Ireland's Housing System
Host Roslyn Molloy interviews David Rouse and Lisa Marie Sheehy from The Housing Agency, exploring the management, challenges, and future regulation of apartments and multi-unit developments in Ireland.
5 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT
Biodiversity in Housing
Host Roslyn Molloy interviews Susan Vickers and Haley Curran about integrating biodiversity into Irish housing developments, offering practical solutions for environmental protection and resident well-being.
5 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT
My Homelessness to Housing First Journey
Host Roslyn Molloy interviews Rob Lowth and Housing First tenant John about John's powerful journey from homelessness to stable housing, revealing the transformative impact of support services.
5 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT
Social Housing Options
Host David Silke interviews Patrick McCarthy, Head of Local Authority and AHB Services at the Housing Agency, to explore Ireland's social housing process, eligibility, and tenant responsibilities.
9 Mar 2026
Tenant Engagement
In this episode of Housing Insights, David Silke is joined by Darren Hudson, National Tenant Engagement Manager at Respond and Chair of the Irish Tenant Engagement Network (ITEN).
Darren shares his journey from youth development to national housing
management, offering a unique perspective on why viewing tenants as partners, rather than just "customers", is the key to building sustainable communities.
Key Discussion Points
Defining Engagement: Moving beyond "transactional" housing to an "everyday" practice of relationship building.
Formal vs. Informal Participation: From community fun days and "cosy farms" to structured regional panels and board-level representation.
The Proactive Shift: Why the sector is moving from "crisis managing" groups of tenants to introducing engagement at the very start of a tenancy.
Global Context: How Ireland compares to leaders like Scotland and the Nordic countries, where tenant-run boards have existed for decades.
Regulatory Standards: The impact of AHBRA (Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority) in making tenant engagement a formal standard for housing providers.
Success Stories:
The Respond Roundup: How tenants took over the editorial control of their newsletter to share real human stories.
Empty Homes Policy: Renaming "voids" and involving tenants in assessing properties before they are re-let.
Service Improvement Groups: Turning around heated relationships through transparency and long-term maintenance planning.
Useful Links & Resources
Organizations & Networks
Respond
Irish Tenant Engagement Network (ITEN)
Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority (AHBRA)
Research & Reports
Best Practice in Tenant Engagement (Just Economics)
Developing a Tenant Engagement Culture (Housing Agency)
Tuath Housing: Embedding a Culture of Tenant Engagement
For Tenants
If you are a tenant looking to get involved, your first point of contact is your Housing Officer or your provider’s dedicated Tenant Engagement Team.
9 Mar 2026
Housing in Europe – A New Strategy for Affordability
Is the housing crisis an Ireland-only problem, or a European emergency? In this episode, Roslyn Molloy sits down with industry expert Carol Tallon to dissect the first-ever EU Affordable Housing Plan. Following her participation at the EU Housing Summit in Galway, Carol explains why Ireland holds an "outsized influence" on European policy and what the 2025 EU Affordable Housing Plan means for housing delivery.
We explore the transition from traditional building to Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), the reform of restrictive State Aid rules, and why the European Commission is now treating housing not just as a market issue, but as a "social emergency" vital to the survival of democracy.
Key Discussion Points
The Irish Influence in Brussels: Why Irish MEPs and experts (like Sorcha Edwards and John O'Connor) are helping shape EU housing policy.
The 4 Pillars of the EU Affordable Housing Plan:
Boosting Supply: Focusing on new homes and innovation.
Mobilizing Investment: Unlocking a €43 billion pot through the EIB and private capital.
Immediate Support & Reform: Tackling short-term rentals and market speculation.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Addressing the "Right to Live Where You Serve" for essential workers.
State Aid Reform: How changing EU rules will allow governments to directly subsidize affordable housing and de-risk construction innovation.
The "Right to Stay": A look at rural proofing and ensuring the next generation can live and work in their own communities.
Placemaking & Technology: Carol’s PhD research on using immersive tech (VR/AR) to meet citizens "where they are at" to improve public participation in planning.
Resources & Links
The Housing Agency: housingagency.ie
New European Bauhaus: Official EU Website
Property District: propertydistrict.ie
Carol Tallon on LinkedIn: Connect here
European Affordable Housing Plan: The European Affordable Housing Plan - Housing - European Commission
An Overview of the Role of the European Union in relation to Housing Policy and Delivery: Overview of the Role of the EU in Housing Policy and Delivery.pdf
9 Mar 2026
Designing Homes for Everyone
In this episode of Housing Insights, Roslyn Molloy is joined by Ruth O'Reilly (National Disability Authority) and Declan Gaffney (Age Friendly Ireland) to discuss the vital role of Universal and Age Friendly Design in Ireland's housing landscape.
Reflections on the National Strategy
A critical piece of the puzzle discussed by our guests is the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022–2027. This strategy is central to addressing the housing challenges disabled people face, specifically by:
Improving coordination between Local Authorities and the HSE to align accessible housing with necessary support services.
Promoting the UNCRPD principle of "nothing about us without us," ensuring disabled people have a seat at the table in decision-making and standard-setting.
The Housing Agency’s pivotal role in driving the implementation of these strategic goals.
Featured Resources & Links
CEUD Housing Guidelines:
Comprehensive guides for designing, building, and managing Universally Designed homes.
Home and Supports Hub: A central resource for information on housing options and rights for disabled people in Ireland.
UK Research on Domestic Stairs: Scientific evidence supporting how stair design (tread depth) dramatically impacts fall prevention.
Age Friendly Ireland:
Information on the Healthy Age Friendly Homes programme and local technical advisors.
www.agefriendlyhomes.ie
Housing Insights Issue 7: Cornamona Court, Intergenerational Living | The Housing Agency
Thinking Ahead: Independent and Supported Housing Models for an Ageing Population | The Housing Agency
Guest Information
Ruth O'Reilly: Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor at the National Disability Authority (NDA).
Declan Gaffney: National Technical Programme Manager at Age Friendly Ireland.
5 Mar 2026
Security of Tenure and Rent Regulation
In this episode of Housing Insights, David Silke is joined by Brian Gallwey (Senior Researcher and Policy Manager) and Sinead Murphy (Head of Communications and Engagement) from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). They dive deep into the landmark legislative changes taking effect on 1st March 2026.
Useful Links & Resources
The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) Official Website: The
primary hub for all information mentioned in the show.
RTB Rent Register & API Tool: For
landlords to find comparable market rents and for tenants to verify rent
settings.
New Rental Law Guides (Multi-language):
Downloadable summaries available in English, Irish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Chinese.
Housing Agency Research & Policy: Information on the 2025 report that informed these legislative modifications.
Contact Information
If you have questions about your specific tenancy
or the new rules:
RTB Customer Call Centre: 0818 30 30 37
Online Portal: Access the RTB Online Service Centre to submit notices of rent review or register tenancies.
3 Dec 2025
The Rise of Cost Rental in Ireland
In this episode of Housing Insights, host David Silke dives into the critical topic of Cost Rental in Ireland, a new housing tenure designed to address the needs of the "missing middle", those with moderate incomes who are above the social housing threshold but can't afford open market rents. David is joined by Gwen Perry, Head of Affordable Housing at the Housing Agency, who has over 20 years of experience in the housing sector.
Gwen explains that Cost Rental is a non-profit model where rent is strictly based on the cost of building, managing, and maintaining the home, drawing inspiration from successful long-term rental options in countries like Austria and Denmark. The discussion covers the legislative foundation laid by the Affordable Housing Act 2021, the progress of over 3,800 homes delivered to date, and the future goal of delivering 10,000 Cost Rental homes. Listeners will learn about eligibility criteria, the significant advantages like security and stable, professionally managed homes, and how to apply for a scheme.
Affordable Homes Website: affordablehomes.ie (Central platform for
available cost rental and affordable purchase homes)
Legislation: Affordable Housing Act in 2021.
Cost Rental Providers:
Approved Housing Bodies (Clúid, Respond, Circle, Oaklee), Land Development Agency, and Local Authorities.
3 Dec 2025
The Success of Housing First
In this episode of Housing Insights, host David Silke is joined by Rob Lowth, Director of the Housing First National Office in the Housing Agency. The focus is on Housing First, a housing-led approach designed for people with complex needs, a history of rough sleeping, or long-term use of emergency accommodation.
Rob explains that Housing First provides permanent, secure accommodation alongside intensive wraparound supports to help tenants maintain their tenancies. The model, which originated with Dr. Sam Tsemberis in the United States around 1990, is highly evidence-based and has proven to be a more cost-effective option than long-term emergency accommodation. The discussion covers the joint housing and health approach, the critical role of clinical staff, the current milestone of over 1,000 tenancies across all 31 local authorities, and the national success rate of approximately 80% in tenancy sustainment.
Links and Resources
Contact for Homeless Individuals: Their local authority's Homeless Action Team.
Contact for Property Owners: info@housingfirst.ie (Housing First
National Office).
3 Dec 2025
The Strengths of Community-Led Housing
In this episode of Housing Insights, host Roslyn Molloy explores the growing potential of Community-Led Housing (CLH) in Ireland. She is joined by Hugh Brennan, founder and CEO of Ó Cualann Co-Housing Alliance, an organization committed to building communities, not just houses.
Hugh shares his background in construction and humanitarian work, which led him to focus on Ireland's affordability crisis. He explains that CLH is an umbrella term for models like cooperatives, co-housing, and community land trusts, characterized by collective decision-making and shared control. Drawing on Ó Cualann’s first development in Ballymun, Hugh discusses the goal of achieving affordability in perpetuity, a major challenge in Ireland due to banks' historical reluctance to finance schemes with restrictions on onward sales linked to wage inflation. He emphasizes that while the majority of Irish people may be individualistic, there is a 20% segment of the population interested in CLH, including Irish-speaking, LGBT, older people, and self-sufficiency groups.
The conversation highlights key barriers, lack of a central CLH Hub for support, access to land, and specialized finance and points to European examples and existing state schemes like STAR (Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental) as potential pathways forward. Ultimately, Hugh’s message is that CLH is a safe investment, essential for tackling the worldwide "financialization of housing," and must be supported by the state to deliver social and affordable homes outside of the private market.
Links and Resources
Guest Contact (Ó Cualann
Co-Housing Alliance):
Hugh Brennan: hugh@ocualann.ie
General Info: info@ocualann.ie
Introducing Community-led Housing: Introducing Community-led Housing
Community-led housing as Affordable Housing: Community-Led Housing as Affordable Housing
Community-led Housing for Age Friendly Living: Community-led Housing for Age Friendly Living
State Support for Community-led Housing: State Support for Community-Led Housing
Housing Agency News and events page: Community-Led Housing Webinar Series | The Housing Agency
Self Organised Architecture roadmapping reports: Roadmapping a Viable
Community-Led Housing Sector for Ireland
Darinke Czischke’s book Together Towards Collaborative Living: Together: Towards Collaborative Living | TU Delft OPEN Books
3 Dec 2025
Apartment Building – Croí Cónaithe (Cities)
In this episode of Housing Insights, host Roslyn Molloy speaks with Jim Baneham, Director of Delivery and Innovation at The Housing Agency, about the need to increase apartment building and viability in Ireland's major urban centres. Ireland is significantly behind its EU neighbours, with about 13% of its housing stock in apartments compared to the EU average of 46%.
Jim explains the national planning push for compact living and urban density to accommodate a growing population, projecting a rise to around 6.1 million by 2040. The core of the discussion is the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme, a €450 million fund committed to incentivise the delivery of up to 5,000 new apartments specifically for owner-occupiers. The scheme aims to address the viability gap (the higher cost of building apartments compared to houses) which has largely pushed apartment building into the rental sector. Jim details how the scheme works through an "open book" process and discusses other government measures, like VAT reduction and design standard changes, intended to make apartment development more viable for purchasers.
Links and Resources
Housing Agency Website: housingagency.ie (To find more
information about the Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme
Government Policy: Housing for All plan
Support Schemes for Purchasers (Mentioned): Help to Buy, First Home Scheme
2 Dec 2025
Housing Insights Trailer
Welcome to Housing Insights, the podcast that cuts through the complexity of housing in Ireland.
Inside a recent episode
Navigating Ireland's Housing Future: Insights with Martin Whelan
Published 30 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And Martin, what would you see as the impact of housing on people's lives and on communities? I mean, from all of those big projects that you've been involved in, what does it really matter? Well, it's transformative. So where you live, that's your anchor in society. That's the place where you raise your family, where you create your neighbourhood, where you engage with your friends. It's the place where you, from hence, you work. It's the most, you know, there's talk of housing as a shelter. Housing is much, much more than that, but not just housing. the communities in which housing exists. And if you get those right, if you can create communities that people want to, people can afford to live in. […]
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