North & East Housing Association (North & East)  welcomed the provision of 18 new homes at Ardmore Rise in Bettystown in Co. Meath which it has leased from NAMA for use as Social Housing.  The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, Damien English TD  visited the development together with senior figures from NAMA and Eugene Cassidy, Leas-Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council.  NAMA has made the units available through a subsidiary company called NARPSL – (National Asset Residential Property Services Limited) which is the vehicle it uses to provide houses for use as Social Housing.

North & East already leases 11 homes in the development from NAMA which brings the total number of homes provided via NAMA and North & East for Social Housing in the development to 29.  

Speaking at the visit,  the Chairman of North & East Pat Lennon said that the organisation was delighted to work with NAMA on this project; “We have a very positive and constructive relationship with NAMA and Meath County Council.  We lease units on long term leases (20  years plus) from NAMA and we then provide them to suitable families from local authority housing lists for use as social housing.  It’s an extremely effective way of providing social housing units in the market. Together with NAMA we have plans for a further 90 such homes in North County Dublin and Monaghan. 

Speaking on behalf of NAMA, Kate Joyce said that NAMA has made over 6,765 houses and apartments available for social housing to date.  It has worked hard, alongside all of the other parties - the Department, the Housing Agency, local authorities and approved housing bodies like North & East – to make sure that any property for which demand is confirmed is made available as quickly as possible.  She said; “We are delighted to have worked in partnership with North & East to fulfil a social housing need in Bettystown and we will continue to work closely with relevant bodies to provide a number of social homes to accommodate those on council housing lists throughout the country.”

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, Damien English TD said “I was delighted to be invited to Ardmore in Bettystown today to come on-site and walk around this wonderful development. At a time when social housing is at a critical point, the completion of the 29 apartments, duplexes and houses for social housing in Meath is no mean feat.

“I congratulate North & East Housing Association, Meath County Council and NAMA for their work in demonstrating not only to locals, but to the country as a whole that the potential of these sites can be recognised, harnessed and delivered upon and I wish the tenants a very happy future in these wonderful homes”

North & East Housing Association was established in 1993 and works with local authorities and communities to build and manage social housing dwellings in the North Eastern region of the country.  The Association currently has a managed stock of 392 homes and is on target to increase that to over 400 by the end of the year.  North & East  has successfully designed, developed and acquired family and special needs housing and works closely with many local authorities in the North & East of the country.