Taoiseach turns sod on 149 cost-rental housing scheme in Cork

Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday turned the sod on a development which will deliver 149 cost-rental homes at Jacob’s Island in Mahon.

The development, the Respond Crawford Centre, is part of a two-phase project which, when completed, will deliver a total of 218 homes.

The first phase has already delivered 69 social homes, with creche facilities and retail units also completed, and that section was formally opened by Mr Martin yesterday.

The Taoiseach paid tribute to Respond, which is Ireland’s largest construction-led approved housing body, to Cork City Council, McCarthy Developments, and all involved in the development.

Eradicate barriers

Mr Martin said that in Cork there is “a certain can-do attitude for everyone to come together and work together to make things happen”.

“That concept of people being willing to work together, to eradicate barriers, and to get things done, and to get housing delivered is so important, because housing is the number-one priority facing us as a society,” he said.

“Our population has grown exponentially in the past two decades, the fastest- growing population across Europe per capita, which comes from a decade, perhaps prior to 2020, when there was a dearth of infrastructure development, and there’s a need to catch up.”

Respond spokesperson Niamh Randall said the Jacob’s Island development showed what was possible, through collaboration with the city council, the Department of Housing, the Housing Finance Agency, and The Housing Agency.

Proud

“We’re incredibly proud of what’s been achieved here at the Crawford Centre, Jacob’s Island, and excited for what’s to come,” she said.

Dr Tom McCarthy, managing director of McCarthy Developments, said the scale and ambition for Jacob’s Island continued to grow.

“With retail units and creche facilities already built, we look forward to developing further amenities at Jacob’s Island, including bars and restaurants, a 165-bed hotel, and 20,000sq m of office space,” said the McCarthy Developments managing director.

The Crawford Centre will bring the total number of homes at Jacob’s Island to over 600, with a further 250 completions anticipated in the coming 18 months.