Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

The Report of the Approved Housing Body Strategic Forum presents an ambitious and transformative vision for the AHB sector and sets out a detailed roadmap of policy development reforms to enable the realisation of that vision over the years ahead. The forum, which was established in December 2023, undertook a comprehensive review of the AHB sector and concluded its structured engagements and analysis at the end of 2024. These included a series of national workshops involving over 150 participants, broad stakeholder consultations and targeted research into not-for-profit housing association models in four peer European jurisdictions. The work also drew on the relevant recommendations of the Housing Commission and the priorities outlined in the programme for Government relevant to the AHB sector. This report represents the most detailed examination of the AHB sector ever conducted by the State.

While the vision sets out the reform of the sector over the next decade, officials in my Department have been continually progressing policies to strengthen the sector since I came into office. Work is already under way on several policy development reforms outlined within the Report of the Approved Housing Body Strategic Forum, as committed to in the national housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030. Furthermore, my Department will shortly establish a sectoral reform working group, involving key stakeholders, which will be tasked with progressing work on the more transformational policy development recommendations throughout the period of the national housing plan. Upon the conclusion of this intensive scoping and investigation phase, I will present regular policy development reports to the Government for consideration, outlining the feasibility, impacts and proposed implementation plan for the key structural recommendations. I am committed to advancing a sectoral reform programme that will enhance the positive impact of AHBs, address immediate sectoral challenges and support the transformation towards a more resilient, effective and efficient sector.

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