Housing Minister officially opens first Meath social housing development of the year in Dunshaughlin

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, today officially opened Clúid Housing’s development of 96 social homes at The Willows, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath.

The scheme is composed of 72 one-, two- and three-bed apartments, and 24 three-bed terrace houses, and will provide long-term, secure homes to households in housing need. Whilst Clúid builds many of its own units, this scheme was delivered via Clúid’s bespoke Developer Design and Build process, whereby Clúid purchased the site and entered into a development agreement with GEM Construction. These homes are part of phase three of the development by GEM Construction, within a wider mixed tenure development of up to 900 homes and planned retail, hospitality and childcare facilities.

The Housing Minister, Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr. Nick Killian, and Chief Executive of Meath County Council Jackie Maguire, joined Clúid’s Chief Commercial Officer, Fiona Cormican, and GEM Construction’s Managing Director, Martin Healy, in launching the development. The houses and apartments continue to be allocated to individuals and families from Meath County Council’s housing list. Meath County Council retain full nomination rights on the properties and will set the rent in accordance with the Council’s Differential Rents Scheme.

The homes are energy efficient Grade A rated and are located close to amenities and facilities including primary and secondary schools, shops, restaurants, sports and leisure facilities, and Fairyhouse Racecourse. Dunshaughlin is located close to Dublin and is well serviced with transport links including a nearby railway station, bus routes and the new M3 motorway.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD said: “Meath is one of the fastest growing counties in terms of population growth. It’s good to see Housing for All delivering for families here with housing stock increasing in recent years. Clúid Housing had a very strong year for delivery in 2022 and The Willows indicates a strong start in 2023. We continue to support Clúid and other not-for-profit Approved Housing Bodies to deliver on the Government’s housing targets by contributing to the 29,000 housing completions we’re aiming for in 2023.”

Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr. Nick Killian, commented at the launch, “We are all acutely aware of the importance of having a secure and comfortable home, and this is what has been achieved for the applicants benefitting from this scheme and I would like to express my gratitude to every person, including the staff in Clúid Housing and Meath County Council, who have played their part in making this happen.”

Chief Executive of Meath County Council, Jackie Maguire, stated, “Meath County Council has achieved an ambitious social housing delivery programme over the past four years, with the coming on-stream of over 1,644 new social homes, across many delivery mechanisms. It is our intention to continue with an ambitious approach and to repeat the extent of this delivery under the auspices of ‘Housing for All’.

Brian O’Gorman, CEO of Clúid Housing, said, “We’ve a strong working relationship with Meath County Council and we greatly appreciate their support, and the support from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Finance Agency, the Housing Agency and GEM Construction.
Clúid’s vision is ‘a society where everyone has a great place to live’. These high quality and energy efficient homes ensure lower fuel bills and overall improved quality of life for our residents. It’s a fantastic way to start off the new year, with families moving into their new ‘forever’ homes.”

ENDS
Notes to the Editor:
Fiona O’Connor – Communications & Engagement Manager – Clúid Housing
+353 87 113 5411 – foconnor@cluid.ie

About Clúid Housing
Clúid Housing is an independent, not-for-profit charity, and is the largest approved housing body (AHB) or housing association in Ireland. Established in 1994, Clúid leads the way in providing high quality, affordable rented homes to people in housing need. We work in partnership with local authorities to provide housing to those on social housing waiting lists. Clúid own and manage over 10,000 properties providing a home to over 24,000 people.

Our team of almost 300 highly qualified professional employees are committed to providing quality housing and services that enable people to create homes and thriving communities. For more information visit www.cluid.ie