Community expertise needed on housing crisis, says agency

Tackling the Dublin housing crisis effectively will require not just better planning but also the input of qualified professionals from the communities directly affected, the housing charity Respond! has said.

A report commissioned by the organisation on the provision of adult and community education in north Dublin highlights progress made in educational attainment in areas such as Ballymun. But it says major obstacles remain, including gaps in further education that inhibit people from disadvantaged areas taking leadership roles in policy areas such as housing and community development.

The report was published yesterday to coincide with the announcement of a new BA course in housing and community studies by the charity’s educational wing Respond! College.

Dr Lorcan Byrne, education coordinator for the college, said the four-year part-time course would start this month with close to 20 students, drawn mainly from grass-roots organisations.

The report shows the percentage of the population in Ballymun with a third-level degree or higher rose from 7.3 per cent in 2006 to 11.6 per cent in 2011.

Launching the report, social justice campaigner Fr Peter McVerry welcomed the new course, which was being supported by a bursary scheme through Social Justice Ireland. Up to 10 community workers will have their fees paid under the scheme, which is being funded by an anonymous donor.