Social housing scheme in city officially opens

LORD Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke, and Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly, officially launched a social housing scheme, comprising 56 homes, in the inner city last week.

Peadar Kearney House is located on the site of the old Liberty House on Railway Street, Dublin 1. Liberty House was closed in 2012 after it was deemed unfit for modern living.

Over the past nine months, Circle Voluntary Housing Association (VHA) has managed the occupied scheme. The association will now manage Peadar Kearney House on an ongoing basis.

The new scheme contains six three-bed units, 34 two-bed units, and 16 one-bed units.

The development has been fully occupied since August 2014, with 21 of the current tenants having previously lived in Liberty House.

The scheme is also providing housing for families and individuals who were homeless and on housing waiting lists.

Justin O’Brien, chief executive of Circle VHA, said the current scale of social housing need is immense.

“The volatility of the housing market over the past number of years has placed many impediments on the delivery of high-quality social housing,

? said Mr O’Brien.

“To overcome this challenge, we need innovative funding solutions and we need to see all stakeholders – the department, local authorities and voluntary housing associations – working in collaboration.

“The success of this regeneration project demonstrates what can be achieved through collaboration.

?

Minister Kelly said he was particularly pleased that the development will be managed by Circle Voluntary Housing Association on behalf of Dublin City Council.

“Approved housing bodies, such as Circle Housing Association, play a key role not only in managing housing and related supports for vulnerable groups, but also in delivering new housing,

? he stated.

“This housing association is among the many non-governmental organisations that are doing valuable work in challenging circumstances.

?