Housing Insights

This episode of Housing Insights features hosts David Silke sits down in conversation with Martin Whelan, CEO of The Housing Agency. The discussion covers Whelan's professional background across the construction sector, NAMA, and the NTMA, alongside a strategic examination of Ireland's housing landscape, policy implementation, and long-term sector transformation. Key Discussion Points & Analysis P...

How do we meet Ireland’s housing needs while protecting our natural environment? Host Roslyn Molloy sits down with Susan Vickers (Clúid Housing) and Haley Curran (The Housing Agency) to discuss integrating biodiversity into housing developments. The episode highlights Clúid’s Landscaping and Biodiversity Guide and a resident-led project in Ballygraigue Court, Co. Tipperary, showing how nature-base...

With nearly a quarter of a million Irish households living in apartments, multi-unit developments (MUDs) like apartments play an increasingly vital role in Ireland’s housing system. Host Roslyn Molloy sits down with David Rouse and Lisa Marie Sheehy from The Housing Agency’s MUDs team to explain how MUDs and apartments are managed. The conversation explores the mechanics of owners' management comp...

How does Housing First transform lives and break the cycle of entrenched homelessness? Host Roslyn Molloy introduces Rob Lowth (National Director of Housing First, The Housing Agency) and Housing First tenant John for a powerful conversation. Drawing from his lived experience of youth homelessness, addiction, and incarceration, John shares his journey to securing a permanent home, highlighting the...

About 1 in 10 Irish households live in social housing, which provides below-market rental homes based on a tenant's ability to pay. Host David Silke sits down with Patrick McCarthy (Head of Local Authority and AHB Services, Housing Agency) to unpack the social housing process in Ireland. The episode covers the difference between social housing and cost rental, eligibility criteria, the application...

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 communit...

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 hous...

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 2022–2...

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...

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...

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 crisi...

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 in...

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 plan...

Welcome to Housing Insights, the podcast that cuts through the complexity of housing in Ireland.