Housing Options for Our Ageing Population-Joint Policy Statement
On 27 February 2019, a joint policy statement entitled Housing Options for our Ageing Population was launched by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Health. The joint policy statement was prepared against the backdrop of research showing that Ireland’s population is ageing and that by 2051 it is estimated that there will be approximately 1.6 million people over 65 years old living in Ireland.
‘Housing Options for Our Ageing Population’ provides a framework by which the Government not only facilitates and promotes a variety of housing options for older people, including housing with support, it also promotes the putting in place of measures to ensure that sustainable housing (with supports where required) is provided in the right locations in order to enable older people to age in their community if that is their wish.
The policy document sets out 40 Priority Actions incorporating six fundamental principles derived from extensive research on the needs of older people on which the strategic planning in the document is based. These are:
- Putting in place measures to ensure that sustainable housing is provided in the right location to enable people to age in the community
- Framing policy and implementation to ensure that they support the renewal and regeneration of urban centres
- Designing housing and the environment in accordance with the principles of sustainable lifetime housing
- Promoting the use of assistive technology to support people to live independently
- Ensuring there is adequate consideration to the need for social connectedness in devising policy
- Working collaboratively with all stakeholders to achieve the policy objectives
Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030
The Government has introduced a new housing plan called “Delivering Homes, Building Communities”, which aims to speed up the delivery of new homes and tackle homelessness. The plan targets the construction of 300,000 homes, including 72,000 social homes and 90,000 affordable housing supports. Building on the progress of Housing for All, which has already delivered 137,000 homes since 2021, and informed by the Housing Commission’s work, this plan will see the State take a bigger role while also encouraging the private sector to play a key part in delivery. To accelerate progress, the plan includes regulatory reforms, tax incentives, and the largest ever investment in infrastructure in the history of the State – €275 billion over ten years through the National Development Plan.
Programme for Government
The Programme for Government (2025) provides a commitment to an Age Friendly Ireland, that recognises the relationship between housing and health. It recognises that housing, where possible, should improve choice and enable older people to remain in their communities, close to their families and support network, while accessing health and social care. It commits to continuing to implement local Age Friendly Strategies, enabling the voice of older people through the Older People’s Councils.
Sláintecare
Sláintecare is a new vision for the health service in Ireland. The Sláintecare programme aims to provide a singe-tier health and social care system that is available to all based on need not on ability to pay. It focuses on providing health and social care in the right place at the right time, and places an emphasis on primary and community services.
The Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme is an initiative, funded by Sláintecare, that aims to enable older people to continue living in their homes or in a home more suited to their needs, live with a sense of independence and autonomy, be and feel part of their community, and support the avoidance of early or premature admission to long term residential care. You can find out more information about this programme by visiting the Healthy Age Friendly Homes webpage.
You can find out more about Sláintecare by viewing the resources below:
