Ireland’s largest purpose-built housing development for older persons has been officially opened by Minister Darragh O’Brien, TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage today.
A Fold Housing Development, St Agnes, Captains Place is located beside Crumlin village, and consists of 103 homes across 6 apartment blocks all designed with older persons in mind, making it the largest older person’s social housing development of its kind in the country.
Fold Housing, an approved housing body, specialises in providing homes for families and older persons, working to create safe and sustainable communities for its tenants. All of the 111 residents in St Agnes, Captains Place were previously on Dublin City Council’s housing list.
Dublin City Council was the sanctioning authority for the scheme and facilitated in attaining funding of over €20 million from the Department of Housing and Housing Finance Agency (HFA).
Speaking at the official opening, Darragh O’Brien, TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage said: “As set out in our Housing for All plan, the Government are working to ensure we have an age friendly Ireland in which older people can live long and healthy lives, participate in their communities and have a range of housing options and health supports to make this possible. St Agnes, Captains Place is a model for housing developments for older people and I want to see this replicated nationally. I congratulate Fold Housing for the quality of architecture in Captains Place and for the longer term supports which they are providing to residents”.
Elizabeth O’Donnell, resident in St Agnes welcomed Minister Darragh O’Brien TD into their home saying: “I couldn’t be happier with my new home here in St Agnes. It gives me a great sense of comfort to have a safe space that I can call my own. It’s been lovely to meet and get to know all my new neighbours, and the whole community here in Crumlin has been so welcoming.”
Speaking at the opening, Peter Ayton, Chair, Fold Housing said: “By 2051 there will be 1.6 million people over the age of 65 living in Ireland. We have to ensure that the homes we provide help more of us to live active independent lives for as long as possible and Captains Place meets that need. We are creating and supporting a new community of neighbours which is safe and supportive of people as they age.
Our model of housing with supports has proven to be very successful and we look forward to continuing to work together with Minister O’Brien and his Department, as well as those in Dublin City Council to build communities and provide high-standard, long-term, secure and sustainable housing for those in need.”
Councillor Dermot Lacey representing the Lord Mayor of Dublin said: “It is wonderful to be here today to meet with residents in St Agnes, Captains Place. This development is a wonderful example of the safe and comfortable homes partnerships can provide for those in need and I wish all the residents many happy years here. On behalf of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, I would like to commend Fold Housing, Dublin City Council executives and the Minister and the Housing Agency for their work on this magnificent development.”
St Agnes, Captains Place is designed in accordance with the latest Universal Design guidelines which enables older residents to live independently with features such as grab rails, non-slip flooring, and lifts to upper levels. To ensure that residents feel safe and secure twenty-four hours a day Fold Housing utilises the latest technology from Radius Connect 24. All of the kitchens are equipped with energy efficient gas fired condensing combi-boilers while solar panels fitted to the roofs of the 6 apartment blocks provide a renewable energy source. Each apartment also contains an enclosed balcony allowing residents to garden and get fresh air year-round.
