The Housing Finance Agency, the public sector body which provides financing to support the delivery of social and affordable homes, has appointed Deirdre Collier as its chief executive.
Ms Collier joins the HFA with over 20 years of experience in the financial services sector, and most recently held the role of chief finance officer at Clúid Housing.
She has previously held senior roles in KBC Bank Ireland and Ulster Bank, and served as a non-executive director with the Housing Finance Agency from May 2022 to May 2023.
She succeeds Barry O'Leary, who retired in June after more than a decade as CEO of the HFA.
Deirdre Collier said that access to secure and affordable housing is a fundamental pillar of a thriving society.
"I look forward to collaborating with the team, our customers, and our stakeholders to expand access to affordable homes, enhance financing options, and to enable the creation of stronger, more resilient communities," she stated.
HFA Chairperson Frank Allen said Ms Collier has an impressive track record in finance, a strong knowledge of the sector's needs and a deep commitment to increasing the supply of high-quality affordable housing for all.
"Having previously served as a director with the HFA, and as chief finance officer of Clúid Housing, she is acutely aware of the challenges, as well as the opportunities, within the sector," Mr Allen said.
"Deirdre will now lead the HFA through an exciting period of growth and expansion. Last year we advanced a total of €1.2 billion to customers and lending for the first six months of 2024 was up almost 50% on the same period last year," he added.
He also commended the work of Deirdre's predecessor, Barry O'Leary.
"Barry guided the agency through some challenging times and led it into the current period of growth, building a strong reputation for the HFA as a supportive funding partner," he stated.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O'Brien, said Ms Collier's wealth of experience and leadership across sectors will no doubt grow and reinforce the HFA's pivotal role in financing and supporting the delivery of social and affordable housing.
"The scale of Housing Finance Agency funding has been a key enabler to securing a strong housing supply pipeline with financing approvals in the first half of this year alone facilitating the delivery of over 3,000 new homes," the Minister said.
The HFA has reported an increase of more than 200% in financing approvals in the first half of 2024, with €861.5m approved for housing bodies to facilitate the delivery of 3,194 new homes.
