All-Ireland Summit

Justin leads CIH’s policy and external affairs work in Northern Ireland. He is a chartered member of CIH, a member of the Chartered Management Institute and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) from RMIT University in Melbourne, having undertaken research on acoustics in the built environment. Justin is chair of Belfast City Centre Management Company Ltd and a trustee of supporting communities.

Speaker information coming soon.

Áine is head of social housing delivery in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Áine joined the Department in December 2020. She is a career civil servant having previously served in senior management roles including the Department of Finance, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Áine is also a member of the Housing Agency Board.

Mark’s group plays a key role in the delivery of the Department for Communities’ common purpose of supporting people, building communities and shaping places. Key priorities for Mark’s area include ensuring the provision of decent, affordable sustainable homes and housing support; delivering programmes that support social, economic and physical regeneration and supporting district councils to deliver strong and effective local government.

Justin leads CIH’s policy and external affairs work in Northern Ireland. He is a chartered member of CIH, a member of the Chartered Management Institute and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) from RMIT University in Melbourne, having undertaken research on acoustics in the built environment. Justin is chair of Belfast City Centre Management Company Ltd and a trustee of supporting communities.

Gavin Smart CIHCM is chief executive at the Chartered Institute of Housing. Prior to joining CIH, Gavin was assistant director of research and futures at the National Housing Federation from 2004 to 2012. Born in Cardiff, Gavin studied public administration at the Polytechnic of Wales and then gained an MSc in sociology at the University of Bristol, where he worked as a research associate on projects for the Department of the Environment, Housing Corporation, Scottish Office and local authorities.

Gary has worked in the social housing sector for over 25 years. He commenced his career at Clanmil Housing Association in Belfast, returning some years later to serve on the board. He has held operational and executive positions within regional and national housing organisations across England and is now at Abri. Abri operates across the south of England with some 50,000 homes and assets, serving circa 100,000 customers. Gary is also a member of the Bank of England Residential Property Forum and is co-chair of the National Delivery Group (NDG) that convenes the CEOs of the 20 largest housing associations.

Speaker information coming soon.

Mushtaq works for Housing Diversity Network, a training and consultancy organisation helping the housing sector become more inclusive in terms of its leadership, service provision and workforce development. He has worked for several housing and regeneration organisations throughout his career and has run his own consultancy business. He was previously director of commercial partnerships at the Jigsaw Group and director of Aksa Homes. He has also worked at a senior level in local authorities for over fifteen years, including working for large metropolitan councils such as Oldham, Trafford and Lambeth. Mushtaq is committed to ensuring disadvantaged communities have access to housing, employment and training opportunities. He is keen to ensure that the housing sector provides services that make a real difference in people’s lives.

Kath has over 20 years of experience working in the Irish Housing Association sector; leading development, property and housing teams. Prior to Fold, at executive level in Clúid Housing, she was responsible for front-line services and working to lead the organisations strategic development and growth as well as contribute to strengthening the Housing Association sector.

Eileen is an independent professional with over 35 years of experience in all aspects of social housing and social policy in Northern Ireland. She is committed to increasing awareness of the professionalism of those who work in housing and to influencing effective evidence-based policy. She is a Chartered member of the Institute of Housing and is a previous chair of the NI board. She is currently a board member of the CIH advisory board for Ireland, Clanmil Housing Group and the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.

Michael has worked for over 15 years in housing-related services in the Dublin Central region and has extensive experience in addiction, homelessness, housing and community services. Michael’s role entails coordinating the day-to-day operations of Circle’s tenancy team such as nominations, allocations, and tenancy management as well as providing support to the tenancy team.

Peter works within PBNI’s Intensive Supervision Unit. This team works with those individuals who have committed sexual or domestic violence offences, and those who may be involved in the Public Protection Arrangements Northern Ireland. Peter recently undertook a research project within PBNI as part of a Master’s degree exploring probation officers’ perspectives of desistance theory (the means by which people cease offending). The research identified that probation officers are fundamentally aware of housing issues for those involved in the criminal justice system.

Susan is tasked with implementing Clúid’s Greening/ Sustainability Strategy; to advise the business, lead initiatives and develop programmes to deliver sustainable climate-resilient housing and a low-carbon culture in all aspects of the organisation’s procurement, maintenance and operation of their housing stock.

Speaker information coming soon.

Michael McDonnell is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and of Chartered Accountants Ireland. His background includes various leadership roles in the private sector across the UK and Ireland. He is currently a voluntary board member of the NI Community Relations Council and has recently joined the Advisory Board of CIH in Northern Ireland.

Declan has worked in the housing & homelessness sector in Northern Ireland for over 20 years and was appointed Extern Homes manager in July 2016. Declan studied Social Policy at Queens University Belfast and as a registered member with Chartered Institute of Housing, Extern Homes was honoured by receiving the ‘More than Bricks and Mortar’ award at CIH’s annual awards in 2019. Declan also co-chairs the Homelessness Prevention Forum – a collaboration of floating support services in Belfast, which he helped convene in 2013.

Speaker information coming soon.

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Michaela has a BSc in Housing Management from University of Ulster and is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Michaela has extensive housing management experience from working in generic and specialist housing roles across the North and South of Ireland. Michaela is a board member of CIH Futures – the young professionals board of the Chartered Institute of Housing across the UK and also chair of CIH Futures NI.

Colm joined Supporting Communities, a NI-wide voluntary community development and tenant support organisation with a dedicated staff of 30, in 1994 and during this time he has held various positions within the organisation. Colm took up the position of chief executive in 2014. Colm is also a board member of housing rights and a member of both the Chartered Institute of Housing and CO3.

Speaker information coming soon.

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Vincent has 30 years of experience in homelessness, housing management and development. Vincent is chairperson of The Wheel, Ireland's national association of community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises. Vincent has participated in social partnership agreements and has served on the National Homeless Consultative Committee.

Aoife is a civil engineer currently working in the housing directorate in Fingal County Council and is responsible for delivering on the significant delivery targets for new homes. She has worked in both private consultants and in local authorities for over 25 years. Her housing-related experience includes the design of social housing schemes.

Gary has worked in the social housing sector for over 25 years. He commenced his career at Clanmil Housing Association in Belfast, returning some years later to serve on the board. He has held operational and executive positions within regional and national housing organisations across England and is now at Abri. Abri operates across the south of England with some 50,000 homes and assets, serving circa 100,000 customers. Gary is also a member of the Bank of England Residential Property Forum and is co-chair of the National Delivery Group (NDG) that convenes the CEOs of the 20 largest housing associations.

The Housing Agency is a government body working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in the delivery of housing and housing services. David previously worked in several state bodies in research and policy roles, including the Centre for Housing Research, the National Economic and Social Forum, the Combat Poverty Agency, and the Department of Social Security (UK).

David Burns has been the Chief Executive of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council since November 2018, making the move across from Scotland with his wife and 2 children. David worked for Councils and Housing Associations in the West of Scotland for close on 25 years, with a particular focus on Council housing, housing management, community planning & engagement, capital projects and regeneration initiatives. In his spare time, David is an assistant referee with the Irish Football Association, operating at Championship level. David is the current Chair of SOLACE.

Eddie Taaffe is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland. With over 25 years’ experience in civil engineering and project management with Local Authorities, in 2020 he was appointed programme co-ordinator with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office (HDCO) established within the Local Government Management Agency.

Speaker information coming soon.

Ciara has responsibility for the overall management, direction, and operational control of Focus Ireland’s services organisation overseeing four core service areas– families, young people, singles, and advice and information. She has served as chair of the Dublin Homeless Network’s Prevention Sub Group and regularly represents Focus Ireland at conferences and speaking events.

Grainia Long was previously the Commissioner for Resilience for the city of Belfast and co-Chaired the Belfast Climate Commission. She spent nearly four years as Chief Executive of the National Child Protection Charity in Ireland, ISPCC Childline. This position followed several years working in housing, including as Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), and previously National Director of the CIH in Northern Ireland. She served two terms as a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and has extensive experience as a Non-Executive Director, having spent six years as Senior Independent Director on the Group Board of Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.

Ciara Ferguson is Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson. A Housing graduate, who began her career in the Housing Research Centre at Magee in the mid-1990s, and worked 30 years in the city in the fields of social research, urban regeneration and community development. Joined the Assembly in September 2021 and is the chair of the Housing All Party Group and Homeless All Party Group. She believes passionately in ensuring all our people secure homes that are good quality, safe, secure, sustainable and affordable.

Carol is also the group chief executive of the Clanmil Housing Group as well as a non-executive director of 54 North Homes, a registered housing association based in Leeds/Yorkshire and a board member of the NI Federation of Housing Associations.

Kath has over 20 years of experience working in the Irish Housing Association sector; leading development, property and housing teams. Prior to Fold, at executive level in Clúid Housing, she was responsible for front-line services and working to lead the organisations strategic development and growth as well as contribute to strengthening the Housing Association sector.