Cork City Age Friendly Programme Joins National Launch of Age Friendly Housing Technical Advisor

Cork City Age Friendly Programme joins in national launch of Age Friendly Housing Technical Advisor role in every Local Authority in Ireland.

Peter Burke, TD, Minister of State, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage today launched the 31 Age Friendly Technical Advisors Role in Dublin’s Custom House, This launch represents a significant and substantial development practically supporting  Housing Options for Our Ageing Population which was launched in February 2019 by both Department of Housing and Department of Health seeking a collaborative approach to Health and Housing for older people in Ireland.  Minister of State, Mary Butler, TD, Department of Health was also in attendance to emphasise the dual approach.

Cork City Council has assigned Tim O Shea to this important role going forward. Tim is an Executive Engineer in our Housing Capital and Regeneration Section Tim will work collaboratively with Cork City Age Friendly Programme. This role will ensure that our local authority can provide technical advice to local authority staff and members but also to Private sector developers who have an interest in providing age-friendly housing, approved Housing Bodies who have an interest providing housing for older people and individuals from the public who may need advice on right sizing or adapting their own dwellings with age friendly universal design principles

For further information contact:

Tim O’Shea                       Email:  tim_oshea@corkcity.ie                   Phone No: 021 2389835

David O’Brien                   E-mail: david_obrien@corkcity.ie              Phone No : 086 0219940

What is the Age Friendly City and Towns programme ?

Age Friendly Ireland is a shared service function of local government operating through a national network of 31 Age Friendly Programmes across all local authority areas. Age Friendly Ireland co-ordinates, supports and provides technical guidance to the 31 local authority led, multiagency Age Friendly City and County Programmes.

The Age Friendly Programme involves a multi-agency, multi sectoral approach to age related planning and service provision. The programme helps cities, counties and communities to be more inclusive of older people by addressing their expressed concerns and introducing practical responses aimed at improving the quality of life of all citizens.

In each local authority area, an Age Friendly Alliance is established, involving senior decision-makers from public (Local Authority, HSE, An Garda Síochána, etc.), commercial and not-for-profit organisations. Through the establishment of an Older People’s Council in each participating local authority area older people exercise a strong, guiding influence on age-friendly local development. Age Friendly Alliances plan and implement strategies and oversee progress in each county. Many thousands of practical steps have been taken at local level under the guidance of these Alliances.

The Chair of the Cork City Age friendly programme is Ann Doherty, Chief Executive, Cork City Council.