Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD officially opens 13 homes and an administrative hub in Mallow, Co. Cork.

Focus Housing Association, the housing arm of Focus Ireland welcomed, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, and Cllr. Pat Hayes (delegate for the Mayor of County Cork), together with members of Cork County Municipal District, to open their West End development of 13 new homes in Mallow town, Co. Cork.

The homes are provided by Focus Housing Association, with the support of Cork County Council and Cork City Council, the Housing Finance Agency, the Housing Agency, and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.

The remodelled high quality B1-rated apartments in West End were part of a conversion, redevelopment project of the former offices of the Dairygold Argi division, located in Mallow town. Developed by Sayvale Group back in 2021 and built and designed with KDC Construction and Meitheal Architects of which Focus Housing Association acquired as turnkey property for the purpose of social housing.

These homes provide much needed housing for the area and have ensured 16 individuals who were on the Cork County Council housing list now have a home enabling them to achieve their potential and build a future for themselves and their families.

CEO, Pat Dennigan said: “Not only does this project address our housing needs, but it also represents another step forward in Focus Ireland’s commitment to reducing our energy footprint. Additionally, the building serves as a new central hub for our key support teams, enabling them to better assist tenants across the Southeast and Southwest of the country.

“We strongly support urban renewal projects and the upcycling of historic buildings, such as this one in Mallow. Not only do these initiatives promote environmental sustainability, but they also strengthen social networks, enhance inclusion for vulnerable groups, and help transform communities affected by housing challenges. This project further aligns with our Meascán Housing Model, which we are incorporating into the West End development.

He explains: “The Meascán Model (meaning ‘mixture’ in Irish) fosters an intentional social mix, bringing together tenants who may need support at different times alongside those who do not. Our research has shown that scatter-site housing, when paired with the right supports, reduces stigma, facilitates broader social integration, and ultimately helps build more resilient communities for the future.

“At Focus Ireland, we currently provide 1,701 homes and have added 627 properties from 2021 to end of 2024 across Ireland through our housing arm, Focus Housing Association. We continue to innovate in how we build and manage housing for those most in need. The West End homes represent 49 social housing units provided in the county as part of the total of 207 delivered for Cork City and County. “

“We recognise that ending homelessness is not something we can achieve alone. That’s why we continue to campaign and advocate for more effective government action, using the expertise of our services and the lived experiences of those we support to drive meaningful policy and service improvements that change lives. We remain committed to working in partnership with others to create a fairer housing system—one that meets the needs of everyone in our communities.”

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, said, I’m delighted to officially launch this development, which is providing quality homes, improving quality of life, and strengthening the community here in Mallow.

By bringing disused buildings like this back to life, this Focus Housing Association scheme in particular with Cork County Council is providing much needed, well-connected and sustainable homes for 16 people.

Access to housing is not just about a roof over your head, it is about building communities of people with secure homes, and access to amenities, to give them every opportunity to build a future for themselves and their families.”

Note to Editors:

About the development 

The property sits on the Park Road and the West End street adjacent to the junction at the N72 main Mitchelstown and Fermoy Road. The completion of this project highlights the partners’ expertise in urban regeneration and adaptive reuse of older buildings.  The project involved a partial change of use to residential, resulting in the creation of 13 dual-aspect apartment units comprising of two studio apartments, six one-bedroom units, and five two-bedroom units, catering to a variety of living arrangements.

Three internally connected Protected Structures dating back to circa 1850 were sensitively restored in an Architectural Conservation Area. The redevelopment retained the characteristic external appearance of the structures while integrating contemporary interiors with original features, showcasing a commitment to sustainability and modern convenience. Vehicular access was restored via the shared archway between the buildings, providing private car parking space at the rear of the property, enhancing convenience for residents.

About Focus Housing Association

Focus Housing Association is the Approved Housing Body (AHB) arm of Focus Ireland. As of the end of

January 2025, we had 1,701 properties under our management and have added 627 properties to add to our housing stock over the duration of Focus Ireland’s five-year strategy, the organisation aims to add an additional 1,150 homes to its housing stock. These homes were delivered in partnership with the Department of Housing, Housing Finance Agency, other AHB partnerships and our supporters.

Focus Housing Association firmly believes that ‘everyone has a right to a place they can call home’ and ‘a home is a safe place to build and become part of community life’.

Focus Housing Association applies the Housing First and the Meascán housing models, supporting more sustainable social living within our communities in areas where there is a high demand for social homes. The Meascán approach allows Focus Housing Association to become more active in building housing developments while maintaining the good practice of providing ‘scatter site’ housing and social integration for people moving out of homelessness which is in line with our core values of inclusive social responsibility, and economically resourceful when it comes to building for our communities.