Co-operative Housing News · Mustafa’s . Story. As a co-operative, diversity among our membership...
Transcript of Co-operative Housing News · Mustafa’s . Story. As a co-operative, diversity among our membership...
Co-operative Housing News Spring 2019
Staff NewsIn staff news this quarter, we were happy to welcome Mark Bolger, our new Head of Finance to the CHI team. We wish Mark the best of luck in this role. We also wish to extend a warm welcome to Brendan
Kiernan, Project Manager, as well as Marc Casey,
Buildings Officer (Technical), and Gareth Gaughran,
Housing Officer, all of whom joined us in April.
Income Assessment Forms By now all members should have received an Income Assessment Form. Members who have not yet completed the form are
asked to complete and return immediately.
Development Update In development news, we were pleased to take a number of units in Birr, Carlow and Kilkenny into management in early 2019 and to welcome our new members. We also look forward to the completion of our
39-unit development on Richmond Road in Dublin
and our 72-unit development in Orchard Meadows,
Cherry Orchard in Dublin, as well as the delivery of
a number of new units in the Munster region over
the coming months.
Co-operative Housing News Spring 20192
ChildcareOur childcare team have had a busy few months, with a highlight including the ‘Dolly Parton Imagination Library’ Initiative, rolled out earlier this year in Tallaght in conjunction with the Childhood Development Initiative (CDI). This wonderful initiative allows children living in
West Tallaght, who are signed up to the scheme, to
receive a personalised book each month until they
reach the age of 5.
Children and parents from our Brookview childcare
service attended the launch of the initiative in Tallaght
Library on February 14th. One of the children from
the childcare service also participated in a launch of
the initiative at the Shamrock Rovers training grounds
with the captain of the club.
We are so proud of the children in the service, almost
all of whom have signed up!
Bring Home a BookAside from this initiative, our childcare services also
run ‘Bring Home a Book on Wednesday’ each week,
which encourages children and parents to enjoy a
bit of reading at home. This dedicated time allows
children to take some time out from the TV and
devices and contributes to positive wellbeing and
behaviours. Happy reading, folks!
Love EducationPre-school children in Island Key childcare service
attended a ‘Love Education’ event organised by the
Early Learning Initiative, National College of Ireland in
February in St. Laurence O’Toole’s. The hall was filled
with lots of exciting science and messy-play activities
for the children. Children in Island Key, along with
their parents, also attended the local library for World
Book Day to hear some stories and play some games.
Co-operative Housing News Spring 2019 3
Mustafa’s StoryAs a co-operative, diversity among our membership is very important to us. We are very proud to support members of a variety of nationalities in creating a home in Ireland. In this edition - meet Mustafa, a Syrian member who lives in Enniscorthy.
Hi, my name is MustafaI was born in Syria. I finished school in 1989. I am
married and have two beautiful children. I worked
as an International taxi driver between Syria and
Turkey. Back then, life was calm and simple.
But in 2011, a civil war started and what seemed to
be a week or month long conflict, turned out to be
nine years of blood being shed until now and only
God knows when it will stop.
We moved within Syrian territory for three years
searching for a safe place to live but without any luck
of finding it, because the whole country became a
wasteland. So, then we travelled to Turkey and stayed
there for six months. although we found safety, but
it was clear we weren’t welcome there. After that
we travelled to Lebanon. we found the same level of
welcoming, but we were forced to stay as it was our
best choice.
After two years of discrimination and hardship we
received a notice by the UN, that we were chosen
to travel to Ireland as a refugee. In 2017, we arrived
at Dublin airport. However, this time we felt a
warm welcoming that we haven’t experienced in
over a decade.
Then we received a house in Enniscorthy from
Co-operative Housing Ireland, and it was a big,
gorgeous house. The team treated us friendly and
provided us with all the services that we needed. we
greatly thank the co-operative, the kind people of
Ireland and their government.
.مرحبا انا اسمي مصطفى
ولدت يف سوريا، أنهيت دراستي الثانوية يف عام 1989. متزوج ولدي ولدان
جميالن. عملت كسائق تاكيس دويل بني سوريا وتركيا. يف ذلك الوقت ،
.كانت الحياة هادئة وبسيطة
لكن يف عام 2011 ، بدأت الحرب هناك وما بدا أنه مناوشات لن تدوم
سوى أسبوعٱ أواسبوعني ، تبني أنها امتدت لتسع سنوات من سفك لدماء
.االبرياء ، والله وحده يعلم متى ستنتهي
تنقلنا داخل األرايض السورية ملدة ثالث سنوات بحثًا عن مكان آمن
للعيش فيه ، ولكن دون أي حظ يف العثور عليه ، ألن البلد بأكمله تحول
.اىل ركام ودمار
لذا سافرنا إىل تركيا واقمنا هناك ملدة ستة أشهر. عىل الرغم من أننا وجدنا
األمان ، ولكن كان من الواضح أنه مل يكن مرحبٱ فينا هناك. بعد ذلك
سافرنا إىل لبنان. وجدنا نفس املستوى من عدم الرتحيب ، لكننا اضطررنا
.للبقاء الننا ال منتلك خيارٱ افضل
بعد عامني من التمييز واملشقة ، تلقينا إشعارًا من األمم املتحدة ، بأنه تم
.اختيارنا للسفر إىل أيرلندا كالجئيني
يف عام 2017 ، وصلنا إىل مطار دبلن. وحينها شعرنا بالرتحيب الحار الذي
.مل نشهده منذ أكرث من عرش سنوات
، Co-operative Housing Ireland ثم استلمنا منزالً عن طريق
وكان منزاًل كبريا وجميال. لقد عاملنا فريق
Co-operative Housing Ireland بشكل محرتم وقدم لنا جميع
الخدمات التي نحتاجها. نشكر جزيل الشكر الشعب األيرلندي الكريم
.وحكومته املوقرة
Co-operative Housing News Spring 20194
International Women’s DayWe were delighted to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th in our offices and childcare services across the country. This was a great opportunity to highlight the
contributions of women both among our staff and
members and in society as a whole. In our Brookview
Childcare service, children and parents celebrated the
day together, while our office in Dublin North held a
coffee morning for members.
Easter Eggs-citement!A number of eggs-cellent Easter and spring-related events have been taking place in Co-operative Housing Ireland estates and childcare services across Ireland. An Easter Fun Day was held in the Kilcronan
Communal Room on Saturday, April 20th. The day
was jam-packed with easter egg hunts, planting of
flowers, and arts and crafts.
Our Brookview Childcare Service also held an Easter
family morning on Friday April 12th, joined by a team
from Nore Valley Farm, Kilkenny. The families and
children all had a fantastic morning feeding and
petting the animals from the Farm!
Riverside in Dun Laoighaire also had a visit from
the Easter Bunny to their annual Easter egg hunt,
organised by Samantha McConville. A local co-
operative meeting has been arranged for early May
to organise a summer event.
Members in Auburn Lodge in Cabinteely are feeling
the spring fever with some flower-planting and fence-
painting underway. Two of our members, Louise Kelly
& Lisa Kinsella, are helping out with the planting.
Members in St. Finian’s, Lucan are also getting green
fingers, having been engaged recently in ongoing
meetings with the St. Finian’s Environmental group.
Vivienne Smith takes responsibility for the watering
of our flower stands. An annual clean-up day will be
scheduled over the summer, with treats in-store for
any children that get stuck in!
A fun day will also be held in Brookview Court,
Tallaght this summer – details on this will be
announced in due course.
Co-operative Housing News Spring 2019 5
Your Housing Officers Here at Co-operative Housing Ireland, we want to ensure that you have access to the information and support you need, when you need it. With that in mind, we wanted to remind you of who your local Housing Officer is and how you can get in touch with them.
Housing Officer: Estates & Areas: Contact Number:
George Best Co-operative: Dublin City
— South Earl St. — South Summer Street — Allingham St. — Newcourt — McCleans Court — Westcourt — Camac Crescent.
01 4201012
David CunninghamCo-operative: Dublin City
— Queen St/Blackhall — Portland Row — McDermott Apartments — Townsend St. — Island Key
01 4201012
Melissa Ferraz Co-operative: Dublin South
— Donomore — Drinagh — Kilcronan — Avonbeg — Maple Square
01 4662006
Sabrina Foley Co-operative: Dublin South
— Auburn — Riverside — Rockfield — Brookview — St. Finians.
01 4662006
Aisling O’CarrollCo-operative: Dublin North
— Greenlawns — Castlegrange Heights — Pinewood Green Court — Cardy Rock Court and Cardy Rock Avenue — Calderwood Court — Merville Court — St. Pauls Court — Deakin Court, Richmond Rd
01 8675470
Eimear Kiernan Co-operative: Dublin North
— Newtown — Craigie Court
01 8675470
Co-operative Housing News Spring 20196
Housing Officer: Estates & Areas: Contact Number:
Rachel Harford Co-operative: Dublin West
— Orchard Meadows — Weavers Wood — Cherry Orchard Court. — Avondale Park — Parslickstown Court
01 6403074
Maria ButlerCo-operative: South Leinster
— Enniscorthy — Carlow — Fruithill Manor, Graiguecullen, Co. Laois — Willow View, Castlebridge, Co. Wexford — Castlehyde Park, Rosbercon, Co. Kilkenny
053 9189034
Catriona AllenCo-operative: Munster
— Firgrove Charleville — Scarabh Kanturk — Hazelbrook Mallow — Castlepark Mallow — Shanowen Rathcormac — Crann Ard Fermoy — Fernwood Glanmire — The Mills Lismore — The Paddocks Waterford — Ashgrove Thurles — Fern Walk Kenmare — Innisfallen Kilarney — The Maples Kilarney — Parklands Tralee
021 4879010
Helena FinneganCo-operative: Munster
— Rooskagh Valley, Shanagarry, Co Cork — Kilmahon, Shanagarry, Co Cork — Lus an Ime, Cloyne, Co Cork — Radharc an Tuir, River Street, Cloyne, Co Cork — Maple Woods, Ballinacurra, Midleton, Co Cork — Fana na gCrann, Dungourney, Co Cork — Cooline, Ballyvolloon, Cobh, Co Cork, — Mayberry, Carrigaline, Co Cork — Fern Drive, Carrigaline, Co Cork — The Stables, Fern Close, Cedarwood, The Willows, Waterside – all in Castleheights, Carrigaline, Co Cork
— The Tannery, Convent Hill, Bandon, Co Cork — The Quadrants, Ballincollig, Co Cork — Clover Avenue, Ard Sionnach, Shanakiel, Cork City — Downview, Farranlea Road, Cork City
021 4879010
David Ryan Co-operative: Ralahine
— Casleconnell, Limerick — Fedamore, Limerick — Cois Teampaill, Newcastlewest, Limerick
061 529850
Alan Sheerins Co-operative: Connacht
— Tullamore, Offaly — Roscommon — Granaries, Banagher, Offaly — Ballisodare, Sligo — Cnoc na Si, Portumna, Galway — An Corran, Crinkle, Birr — Ros Ard, Athlone — Maigh Rua, Doughiska, Galway — St. Ciaran’s Park, Roscommon — Aisling, Ennis — Cluain Ros Leamhain, Roslevan, Ennis — Lios Anama, Sixmilebridge, Clare — Beal an Inbhir, Kilrush, Clare
091 454612
Co-operative Housing News Spring 2019 7
Handy hints for your home and neighbourhoodHome TipsBelow are a number of a handy hints that we’ve put together, that may be useful to you and your family in your CHI home and neighbourhood. • Consider taking out home contents’ insurance
for protection in the event of burglary, flooding
or fire damage.
• Ensure your fire blankets are mounted to your
wall in your kitchen and are not removed. This is a
recent requirement and applies to all CHI homes.
Agree a household escape plan for all those living
in your home in the event of a fire.
• If you have a dog, help keep your fellow members
from tripping over anything nasty and make sure
you pick up after them!
• The weather’s picking up a bit as we head into
summer, so have a glance at your gutters and
commit to cleaning them out twice a year –
once in spring/summer and once in the autumn.
• With improvements in the weather, it’s also
a good idea to air out your house! Especially
for those of you living in apartments, it’s so
important to ensure that you open your windows
at least once a day, even in winter. Using your
extractor fan is also hugely helpful in preventing
damp, mould and condensation.
Recycling TipsThere’s been a huge focus in the media recently on recycling and on what we can and can’t recycle. It’s getting confusing, so here’s a list of what you can recycle! It’s important that any item that you’re recycling is
clean and dry.
• Rigid plastics packaging such as: plastic drink
bottles, cleaning bottles, butter containers, yogurt
cartons, salad tubs, fruit and vegetable trays,
plastic milk cartons and soap or shampoo bottles.
Soft plastics such as cling film are not currently
collected for recycling in Ireland and should be
placed in your general waste bin.
• All tins and cans.
• Paper and cardboard, but as pizza boxes can often
be contaminated with food, they unfortunately
aren’t allowed.
To find out more about recycling in Ireland or to
download a printable list visit: recyclinglistireland.ie
Co-operative Housing News Spring 20198
Emergency TipsThere’s nothing worse than something going wrong in your home, and whether it be a leaky tap or something more serious, we want you to be able to get it fixed ASAP! Members can report repairs in the following ways:
• By telephone to the co-operative office.
• In writing by email or letter to the
co-operative office.
Four repair response categories exist:
1. Emergency An emergency is defined as something which could
not have been foreseen and which could cause danger
to member health and/or safety, or serious damage to
the property. When a repair request is deemed to be an
emergency, a same-day response is usually provided
by a Buildings Officer or contractor. As a priority, CHI
will ensure the property is satisfactory with regard to
health & safety, but further works may be required to
complete the repair. Where further works are required
it is expected, the repair should, in most cases, be
complete within 2-3 working days, depending on the
extent of the repair works in question.
2. Urgent A repair request is deemed to be urgent where the
issue is affecting the comfort and convenience of
the member. Where a repair request is deemed to
be urgent, a response from a Buildings Officer or a
contractor is provided within 2 working days, with
completion expected within 5 working days.
3. Routine A repair request is deemed to be routine where the
issue is not affecting the comfort and convenience of
the member. When a repair is deemed to be routine,
a response from a Buildings Officer or contractor is
provided within 28 working days.
4. Planned CHI may receive requests from local co-operative
committees or from individual members in relation to
repair and maintenance works required in common
areas. This request could be in relation to external
painting, window/door replacement etc. and may
affect several dwellings.
Where this situation arises, the local Customer Service
Team and the National Asset Manager are responsible
for investigating the request.
All requests should be made between 9am and
5pm, Monday to Friday, to your local office, but in an
emergency situation, which is anything which could
not have been foreseen and which could cause danger
to health, residents’ safety, or serious damage and
destruction of the property, you can call the emergency
line on 1890 444 888 outside normal office hours.
Co-operative Living TipsCo-operative living is all about co-operating and communicating with your neighbours, to make life that little bit brighter for everyone!Now and again, CHI receive queries from members
with regard to disagreements or misunderstandings
with other members in their area. While CHI will
always strive to ensure a positive environment for
all of our members and will always provide support,
sometimes it’s more appropriate to allow members
to resolve things themselves. We would always
encourage members to adopt an open, welcoming
approach to their neighbours. Even a quick hello in
the morning or taking a few minutes to stop and chat
can do wonders for a community. If you don’t do it
already, give it a go!
Co-operative Housing News Spring 2019 9
OutreachIrelandOver the last number of months, we have seen a surge in interest from groups seeking advice on setting up self-help, start-up housing co-operatives in Ireland.Since January, CHI has been in contact with 11 such
groups, which includes both a group of nurses and
a group of artists. We have also collaborated with a
number of other like-minded organisations including
Fórsa Trade Union, the Dublin Food Co-op and the
Dublin Brewing Co-op on a number of film screenings
of ‘A Silent Transformation’, a film on co-operatives in
Canada and we co-hosted a seminar on worker co-
operatives with the Society for Co-operative Studies in
Ireland in April in Liberty Hall, Dublin.
We look forward to hosting a number of similar events
throughout the year. Keep an eye on our (newly
revamped and fully accessible) website and Twitter
account for details of events! We have also continued
our close involvement in the Housing Alliance, which
comprises six of the largest Approved Housing Bodies
(AHBs) in Ireland.
Europe Our Policy and Communications Manager Fiona Dunkin also attended two days of Housing Europe Working Committee meetings in Brussels in February. Issues covered included employment and housing,
health and housing, Housing First, ghettoisation,
an update on legislation with regard to the EU
Structural Funds, the potential implications of EU state
aid laws for housing associations, the implementation
of an EU Directive on the reporting on non-financial
activities, energy efficiency, building codes and
the circular economy.
With regard to the issue of ghettoisation in particular,
many members were alarmed to hear of the potential
implications of a new ‘anti-ghettoisation’ law in
Denmark. Housing associations in Denmark are very
concerned that this piece of legislation is going to lead
to the unnecessary demolition of many social housing
units in the country.
In relation to discussion on EU state aid, a recent case
in Holland was discussed. As far back as 2002, the
Dutch government notified the European Commission
about a scheme under which State aid was given
to the ‘woningcorporaties’ housing associations,
which are tasked with acquiring, building and renting
of dwellings, primarily to economically deprived
individuals and to groups from socially deprived
background.
Following this, in 2005, the Commission sent a letter
to the Dutch authorities in which it expressed doubts
about the compatibility of this State aid scheme
with EU law. A number of exchanges have taken
place since then. However, in late 2018, the Court of
Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that the
European Commission had the right to ask the Dutch
government to clarify the definition of the mission
of social housing providers. As a result, there are
increasing concerns that this ruling will lead to a more
dualist, residualised approach to social housing in
Holland, or, in other words, that social housing will
only be permitted to be made available to those on
lowest incomes.
A discussion also took place with regard to the
sale of social housing in Europe, and the views of
members on this. The majority of members expressed
opposition to the sale of social housing, on the basis
of the potential impact of such a policy on overall
social housing stock levels.
Overall, it was a worthwhile and interesting couple of
days, with plenty of useful discussion and exchange
from members across Europe.
Co-operative Housing News Spring 201910
Screening of ‘A Silent Transformation’ with the
Dublin Food Co-op’.
Screening of ‘A Silent Transformation’ with Forsa Trade Union.
Co-operative Housing News Spring 2019 11
Co-operative Housing News Spring 2019