As we move forward, we must continue to prioritise the most vulnerable. The number of people who are homeless and relying on emergency homeless accommodation continues to rise. There must also be a broader range of affordable housing options both for rent and for purchase. The challenge is to provide housing for every stage of life to include student accommodation, affordable long-term rental, family homes, dwellings for one or two persons and accessible homes suitable for older people. Particularly in our urban areas there is also an urgent need for apartments rather than houses. In order to achieve this, the barriers to building more homes must be addressed.

2019 has also been the year when the environmental crisis has been top of the agenda with the acknowledgement that homes should be environmentally sustainable. The challenge will be to decarbonise existing stock and ensure new housing builds meet those requirements as we move towards net zero emissions.

As with most sectors, the use of technology presents an opportunity to transform how housing services are delivered. It particularly has the potential to support better and more meaningful communication between social landlords and their tenants, driving improvements in how housing providers understand the people they serve and the ways they deliver services to them.

Focused conference

This conference will focus on the challenges that lie ahead and look to how we can ensure we are on the right track to tackling the housing crisis. It will bring together the key stakeholders with an interest or role in housing in Ireland and attract good attendance from right across the sector.