The Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector in Ireland plays a significant role in the delivery of social housing. Under Housing For All, the sector has a target of providing up to 40% of all new social homes nationally.
In general an independent AHB may appoint to their Board individuals as they deem fit and will endeavour to appoint members with relevant experience, competence and expertise. This is a matter for the AHB themselves to consider and to decide upon.
Further, the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established in February 2021 and is an independent authority, tasked with providing the regulation of AHBs under four standards.
The AHBRA Governance Standard establishes a set of outcomes that AHBs are required to achieve in relation to the governance and management of their organisations. It relates to responsibility and accountability of the Board in ensuring an AHB complies with all relevant legal, regulatory, funding and statutory obligations. This includes acting within the AHB’s constitution or other governing documents. It is important that AHB Boards have a clear understanding of all such obligations affecting it.
Conflicts of interest and conflicts of duty must also be appropriately managed, including the holding of a register of interests. This Department has no formal policy regarding the role public representatives might play in the governance or management of voluntary housing bodies.
