Delivering homes through collaboration and partnership
As Ireland accelerates housing delivery under its new national housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, approved housing bodies (AHBs) continue to play a central role as trusted delivery partners to Government and local authorities.
Organisations like Respond, currently delivering thousands of social and cost rental homes, are operating at significant scale within a complex and evolving construction environment.
Broadly, the publication of Delivering Homes, Building Communities marks a significant step forward in setting out a clear, long-term framework for housing delivery over the coming years.
The plan recognises AHBs as key delivery partners and acknowledges the scale, capability, and track record the sector has developed in delivering homes and supporting communities across the State.
This recognition provides confidence to delivery partners operating at scale and supports the sustained investment and planning required to maintain momentum.
Ongoing uncertainty in the construction market is a shared challenge across the housing system. Inflationary pressures, capacity constraints, and changing market conditions all affect how housing is delivered at scale.
In this context, managing uncertainty, particularly around cost and timelines, has become central to ensuring that homes are delivered at scale, on time, and with value for money.
Respond’s experience in delivering large scale developments provides practical insight into how collaboration and strong delivery partnerships support successful delivery outcomes on the ground.
With 3,458 homes currently in construction, Respond is actively engaged across a range of social and mixed-tenure developments. Delivering at this scale highlights the importance of funding certainty and construction programme discipline in maintaining momentum and managing risk.
Existing funding structures have enabled significant progress in recent years, and the accelerated Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) process in particular has supported the expansion of cost rental delivery.
In 2025, Respond delivered 231 cost rental homes with a further 1,842 currently under construction, providing strong foundations on which to continue building supply.
Delivering housing at scale, particularly mixed tenure developments, requires close alignment between policy ambition and delivery frameworks. From Respond’s experience, predictability around funding approvals and timelines play an important role in supporting effective construction programmes and avoiding the cost pressures associated with stop-start delivery.
Where funding streams align well and provide clarity over timeframes, delivery partners are better positioned to plan effectively and deliver homes in a coordinated way.
Further policy development
Introduced earlier this year, the new single-stage approval process signals welcome reform that reflects the realities of large-scale delivery and supports a more streamlined approach for local authorities and AHBs alike.
Respond looks forward to ongoing engagement as the process is refined, ensuring that it supports efficient delivery in practice and continues to evolve in line with delivery experience.
Alongside this, the new housing plan, the Report of the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Strategic Forum provides an important roadmap for the future development of the sector.
Its focus on funding reform, governance, sustainability, and long-term capacity reflects the growing role AHBs play in Ireland’s housing system and the need to support that role through clear, coordinated frameworks.
Respond welcomes the publication of the report and looks forward to continued engagement on its implementation as the sector continues to scale responsibly.
At a European level, the publication of the first-ever European Affordable Housing Plan signals growing recognition of housing as a shared societal challenge across member states.
While housing policy remains a national competency, increased coordination and collaboration at European level can help support investment, innovation, and delivery capacity across member states.
For delivery organisations operating at scale, this wider policy context reinforces the importance of long-term planning, stability, and partnership.
Reducing uncertainty
A stable and predictable policy and funding environment has proven to be a key enabler of delivery at scale. Where certainty is provided, delivery partners like Respond can plan efficiently, manage risk responsibly, and maintain momentum on complex developments.
As delivery programmes continue to expand, Respond’s experience highlights the importance of structured engagement between policymakers and delivery partners, ensuring that front-line delivery insight can inform the ongoing evolution of funding and approval frameworks. Such engagement supports alignment across policy objectives contributing to more predictable delivery outcomes over time.
As a not-for-profit, construction-led AHB, Respond typically acquires land linked to development contracts and funds construction directly, with in-house development professionals overseeing delivery.
This model enables Respond to deliver homes that may not otherwise be delivered, without competing for existing housing stock, while maintaining a focus on asset management, tenancy sustainment, and community sustainability. Operating at scale, this model supports effective risk management and strong oversight throughout the construction process.
As housing delivery continues to scale nationally, Respond’s experience demonstrates the value of stable policy direction, collaborative engagement, and delivery-focused frameworks.
Building on recent reforms and the momentum created by the new housing plan and strategic initiatives, AHBs as trusted delivery partners are well positioned to continue supporting the State in delivery high quality, social and cost rental homes, even in challenging market conditions with support and collaboration at local, regional, national, and European levels.
T: 01 808 7700
E: info@respond.ie
W: www.respond.ie
