16/06/2005
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
Ahern announces funding of €2m approx. for Housing Management Initiatives
Mr Noel Ahern T.D., Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal announced today (16 June, 05) that he has approved funding for 78 housing management projects throughout the country. The grants, which total €1.96 million, are being made available under the 2005 Scheme of Grants for Housing Management Initiatives.
Speaking today the Minister explained that the grants scheme was established in 1995 in order to fund selected pilot projects to improve local authority housing management performance. The establishment of the scheme came on foot of major changes to social housing policy, including a new emphasis on the importance of housing management. The aim of the scheme is to provide assistance for practical pilot projects outside the normal day-to-day pattern of housing authorities activities.
"The importance of local estate management and tenant participation in the management of estates and the significant contribution they can make to the provision of a better housing service cannot be overstated," the Minister said.
The Minister's announcement covers a total of 78 projects nationwide involving 48 local authorities as well as a number of social housing bodies. The individual projects cover a wide range of activities in estate management. Examples include staff and tenant training in estate management, the recruitment of tenant liaison officers and other estate-based staff, the production of guidance and information materials, support for surveys and research studies and various initiatives to combat anti-social behaviour.
The Minister also mentioned the innovative work done by the voluntary housing sector in recent years involving tenants in the running of their estates. "Such bottom-up responses are a fine example of democracy at work in local communities," the Minister concluded. Today's decision includes funding for 8 projects put forward by the voluntary sector.
Click to view a list of Approved Projects: