All-Ireland Summit 2025

Speaker information coming soon.

Niamh Randall is the Director of Strategy and Public Affairs at Respond, having joined the organisation in 2019. With over 25 years of experience in strategy, advocacy, research, and communications, she has held key roles at the Simon Communities of Ireland and Merchants Quay Ireland, focusing on housing, homelessness, and social inclusion. At Respond, Niamh leads the Strategy and Public Affairs team, where she oversees the development and implementation of strategy, public affairs and communications, while also driving continuous improvement initiatives and strategic partnerships. Her work is centred on advancing systems change and promoting evidence-based policy and practice to deliver social and affordable housing, and enhance quality of life for tenants and service users. Niamh is highly experienced in bridging the gap between policy and practice, delivering impactful programmes, and driving initiatives that make a tangible difference. She holds an MSc in Drug and Alcohol Policy from Trinity College Dublin, a Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in collaboration with the Institute of Public Administration, and is a Certified Housing Practitioner with the Chartered Institute of Housing. Niamh is also currently pursuing an MSc in Public Policy at Dublin City University, which she is set to complete in November 2024.

David Polley is the director of housing supply policy. The Housing Supply Policy Division has responsibility for the development and implementation of most aspects of policy in relation to the supply of housing in tenures other than social housing, as well as the design and implementation of a programme of strategies aimed at improving housing supply. Work that Housing Supply Policy is responsible for includes; • Role and regulation of the private rented sector • Intermediate housing, for sale and rent • Homelessness • The development of a housing supply strategy • Housing Co-ordination team.

AnnMarie Farrelly is the Chief Executive Officer of Fingal County Council. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and operation of the council, ensuring effective delivery of public services, and driving the growth and development of the region. AnnMarie has extensive experience in local government and public sector management and has held a range of senior positions in various departments within Fingal County Council. AnnMarie is a board member of Transport Infrastructure Ireland and serves on the CCMA Executive Committee.

Paul has responsibility at assistant secretary general level for the Social Housing Delivery Division within D/HLGH and is charged with leading on and overseeing the delivery of 72,000 new build social homes by Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies between 2026 and 2031. Paul has 27 years of experience managing at a senior level across the public and civil service; 20 years in local government and 7 years in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. He has particular expertise and experience in the area of housing

Aoife Kennedy is a senior executive officer in Housing at Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, with over 25 years of experience in the housing sector. Her career spans local authorities, disability services, and approved housing bodies, with a strong focus on community development and social inclusion. Aoife has worked extensively with individuals and communities facing complex challenges, contributing in both professional and voluntary capacities, including community activism and local political engagement. She is deeply committed to empowering communities to participate actively in shaping their environments. Her work is grounded in strategic leadership, sectoral expertise, and a passion for civic engagement.

Erin Kerr is an assistant workforce development manager at the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, where she leads on talent management and leadership development programmes and champions CIH membership for all staff. After graduating with a degree in Anthropology from Queen’s University Belfast in 2023, Erin joined the Housing Services Graduate Programme. With a strong growth mindset, she has embraced every opportunity to develop her skills and career, completing qualifications in Housing Practice (CIH Level 5), Leadership and Management (CMI Level 5), and Project Management (PRINCE2). Passionate about the future of housing, Erin is also part of the CIH Futures NI team and has shared her insights through sector podcasts on International Women’s Day and International Mentoring Day.

Once I completed my Social Science Degree at UCD I entered the social care sector. I spent several years working in family homeless services and residential addiction services. Looking for a change from frontline services, I moved into housing. I have now spent the past six years working as a housing officer. I manage tenancies and developments across the Dublin and Meath region. Oaklee is currently going through significant expansion and I am heavily involved in delivering new schemes across Dublin.

John is CEO of Circle and a leading voice in social and affordable housing in Ireland. Since 2017, he has overseen Circle’s growth, securing major funding deals, expanding housing delivery, and building strategic partnerships. With 30+ years’ experience in housing, finance, and non-profits, he has held senior roles at Respond, Sunbeam House, and top firms including KPMG and EY. In the UK, he held executive roles with large social landlords. John is also chair of the Chartered Institute of Housing’s Governing Board, shaping policy across Ireland and the UK.

Andrew has been deputy estate manager at The Iveagh Trust on the Southside team for the last 3+ years. He has completed the CIH level 2 qualification and has just started the new Republic of Ireland CIH level 3 course. He is also a part of the Republic of Ireland Futures Board.

With almost 30 years end to end experience in Information Technology and working with housing associations for the last 16 years, Chris has been leading a value-driven digital transformation of North & East Housing Association since 2023. He will provide an insight into risk, security and governance as well as the practical uses of AI and process automation in invoice management, tenant document management, gas & oil boiler certification, improving compliance, predictive maintenance/data analytics and generative AI like Microsoft365 Co-pilot

Gail has been delivering training for over 20 years, working with Housing Rights for the past 8 years, bringing energy and expertise to every session. She is highly experienced in housing issues, covering everything from benefits and debt to challenges in both the social and private rented sector. Her career prior to joining Housing Rights spanned training, finance, call centre management, and tourism, providing her with a broad perspective and a practical, hands-on approach. Passionate about lifelong learning, Gail inspires people to build their knowledge and skills so they can give clients the best possible advice and support.

Sarah Benson is the chief executive officer of Women’s Aid since 2019. For nine years prior to this role, Sarah was the CEO of Ruhama, an Irish NGO working nationally with women and people affected by prostitution including victims of sex trafficking. In addition, Sarah has previous experience as manager of the National Domestic Violence Helpline and extensive work in the community and voluntary sector both in Ireland and abroad, working particularly with marginalised ethnic minority women and youth. Sarah was the Irish Expert on Violence Against Women for the European Women’s Lobby Observatory from 2010-2016 and between 2014 – 2019, the chairperson of CAP International. Sarah is also a former vice chairperson of the Board of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, and former member of the Board of The Wheel. Sarah is a Ministerial Appointee to the Boards The Irish Courts Service and CUAN, the National DSGBV Agency. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts from UCD, a Master of Philosophy (Gender & Women’s Studies) from Trinity College Dublin and a Master Degree in Business Studies (MBS. Business Practice) from UCC (via the Irish Management Institute).

As director of housing & community development since 2023, Paul is responsible for all aspects of housing and community development across Fingal, working with elected members, community stakeholders and industry partners to support the ongoing sustainable growth of the county. Paul is a member of various sectoral groups including the CCMA Housing Committee and the Government Construction Contracts Committee. A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Paul also holds post-graduate qualifications in Strategic Procurement, Engineering and Local Government Studies. Paul joined Fingal County Council in 2017 as senior engineer in the Planning & Strategic Infrastructure Dept, prior to which he worked as an engineer and project manager in a number of local authority, central government and private sector organisations.

Paddy Gray is an established academic and has wide experience of academic and applied research with over 400 publications on housing related issues. He is professor emeritus in Housing at Ulster University. A former president of the Chartered Institute of Housing, he is currently on the board of Wheatley Homes Glasgow and is chair of the Wheatley Foundation. In Ireland he is on the board and a former chair of Tuath Housing. He is also chair of iCare Housing, and a member of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) and was a member of Housing Commission.

Jocelyne Fleming leads on the Chartered Institute of Building’s policy and public affairs efforts across Scotland. Here, her work focuses on advocating in the public interest on all issues relating to the built environment and construction sector in Scotland. Jocelyne is a PhD Candidate in Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow. Her thesis, entitled “You don’t know their story,” examines housing and homelessness challenges in Canada and evaluates the country’s National Housing Strategy.

Brian has worked in the area of energy & sustainability for over 15 years, with most of this time spent within the social housing sector. He has experience of building and retrofitting homes to higher standards, low carbon heating and heat networks, biodiversity and tenant & stakeholder engagement. Brian has a BA Hons in Business Studies and an MSc in Energy Management & Renewable Energy.

Lesa Kelly is the senior engagement officer at Radius Housing. Lesa played a pivotal role in the development and delivery of Radius’s Tenant Engagement Strategy 2022–2025, ensuring that tenants’ voices were heard from the doorstep to the boardroom. She has been instrumental in creating a wide range of engagement opportunities tailored to meet the diverse needs of tenants. Helping embed tenant participation into the culture of Radius Housing is a shared responsibility. This commitment contributed to Radius becoming the first housing association on the island of Ireland to receive Gold Level Tenant Participation Accreditation from Supporting Communities in 2024 and winning the Beyond Housing category at the CIH All Ireland Housing Awards 2025. Lesa recently was Highly Commended at the All Ireland Engagement Awards for Excellence in Tenant Engagement by Supporting Communities. Lesa is passionate about promoting good practice within the housing sector and champions the many benefits of effective tenant engagement.

Hi, my name’s Elishia Mullan. I’ve been a Clanmil tenant for over ten years and I’m passionate about making sure tenants’ voices are heard. I’m vice chair of the Housing Policy Panel and Clanmil’s Customer Council, and I also chair the Repairs Consultation Group — where I work with the director of assets and contractors to make sure services really reflect what tenants need. In 2025, I was honoured to win the CIH All-Ireland Tenant Hero Award, which recognised my commitment to championing tenants. But one of the things I’m proudest of is running a cross-community crochet group for nearly ten years — bringing people of all ages together to connect, learn and support each other. For me, it’s all about making a difference, building confidence, and helping our communities thrive.

An accomplished housing professional, Julie Haydon has extensive experience across policy, strategy, and strategic leadership in the social housing sector. Currently in the role of director of corporate services at Wolverhampton Homes, Julie is recognised for a focus and commitment to driving innovation, customer engagement, and in delivering fit for purpose housing services against the backdrop of new and emerging regulatory requirements. Julie's work reflects a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the sector across Ireland and the UK. As CIH President the campaign theme, Rooted in Resilience, champions collaboration, compassion, and the collective strength of housing professionals in creating lasting change that positively impacts the sector as a whole and communities we serve.

Niamh Quinn is ASB team lead at Tuath Housing, where she leads the development of the organisation’s approach to anti-social behaviour and works to enhance tenant experience. With nearly 20 years in social housing across both Northern Ireland and the Republic, Niamh brings deep insight into the complexities of ASB management. She has led service improvements and streamlined casework through cross-functional collaboration. As a member of the CIH Professional Standards Committee, Niamh is committed to advancing professionalism in the sector and continues to advocate for safer, more inclusive communities where resident voice and accessibility are central.

Vincent Keenan was appointed chief executive of North and East Housing Association in 2014, he has some 30 years’ experience in homelessness, housing management and development. Vincent is chairperson of Badminton Ireland, a board member of Pobal, and a former chairperson of The Wheel, Ireland’s national federation of community and voluntary organisations. Vincent is a Chartered Director and Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a member of the CIH Ireland Board. Vincent holds qualifications in Housing and has BSc (Hons) Degree in Business Studies from Ulster University, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Not for Profit Leadership.