Empowering Tenants: Protecting Human Rights Effective Tenant Participation in the Management of Local Authority Housing

This Report is based on the NUI Galway research project funded by The Housing Agency under the Research Support Programme 2020: Round 2. The research sought to examine how structured tenant participation, incorporating human rights standards could be developed in Irish local authorities housing management which would respect the rights of tenants, and comply with the local authorities, public sector duty. The overall objectives of the research were to promote a model of innovative management in Irish local authority estates with meaningful tenant participation in policy and decision-making processes at a national and local level at its core. This model would also be based on respect for human rights, social inclusion, and the multicultural and diverse communities of Ireland today. The specific objectives were to: 1. Research models of rights-based housing management policies and practices that have tenant participation in countries such as Scotland, Denmark, France, UK and the Netherlands. 2. Critically assess the current local authority tenant participation practices within local authority housing management in Ireland. 3. Develop a model of best practice that would suit the Irish context. 4. Map the key stakeholders who have the potential to influence, support or implement such a model 5. Prepare and host a series of structured Dialogue events to Inquire into the opportunities and challenges of implementing a rights-based tenant participation framework within local authority housing in Ireland. 6. Document and disseminate the findings. The project also addressed the housing and sustainability, and innovations in housing management themes of the Housing Agency.