Galway City Council has been shortlisted in three categories at the All-Ireland Housing Awards 2026, which are organised by the Chartered Institute of Housing to recognise innovation and impact across Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The council's nods cover Bóithrín na Saoirse – Traveller Group Housing Scheme (Best Housing Development), Affordable Housing Communications (Excellence in Communication), and the Developer Breakfast Briefing ('Working in Partnership'). The awards ceremony will take place at Titanic Belfast on 20 March 2026.

Elizabeth Fanning, Director of Services, Galway City Council said, "These shortlists are a welcome endorsement of the work of the Housing team in Galway City Council, as part of our housing delivery programme. The recently launched Bóithrín na Saoirse replaced a long-standing 1988 halting site with five permanent, modern, energy‑efficient homes designed specifically for Traveller families. These were designed in close collaboration with the resident families and CENA, the Traveller‑led Approved Housing Body. The project represents a transformative move towards traveller specific and community‑centred Traveller accommodation, reflecting national best practice in public‑sector housing delivery."

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She continued, "The Developer Breakfast Briefing was designed to bring together senior officials from Galway City and County Councils, and property developers, planners and key stakeholders to explore opportunities for delivering new affordable housing projects across Galway. Developers were encouraged to collaborate with the local authorities on future housing schemes and were informed about the latest regulatory frameworks and funding mechanisms supporting affordable housing initiatives. The Affordable Housing Communications project complements this work, with a focus on the potential house purchaser, and what they need to know about the scheme. A targeted 'advertorial' was developed sharing the real life experiences of Affordable Home owners, buying their first home. This article is available at www.GalwayCity.ie/Services/Housing/Affordable-Housing This work continues, with the team recently hosting a number of housing information evenings, launches and surveys".

Awards organisers said they received an exceptionally high volume of entries this year, with submissions of outstanding quality that highlighted dedication, innovation and measurable impact across the housing sector.

Further details on the All-Ireland Housing Awards are available at www.cih.org/events/all-ireland-housing-awards/.