Ireland and Northern Ireland

WebsiteA wireframe globe https://www.habitatireland.org
PhoneA smartphone +353 41 213 9894

 

Country Facts:

  • Capital  Dublin / Belfast
  • Population – (total) 7 million 
  • Life expectancy  81 years
  • Unemployment rate – 5 %

Find more country facts on: CIA The World Factbook – Ireland

 

Habitat Facts

Habitat started in Northern Ireland in 1994 and in the Republic of Ireland in 2002.

Individuals served in FY23 –  67

Through repairs – 67

Funds raised in FY23  $393,572

Volunteers mobilized in FY23 – 1,968

 

Habitat in Ireland 

Habitat for Humanity Ireland works to bring people together from across communities to serve the most vulnerable, mobilising hundreds of volunteers as the hearts, hands and voices for our work locally and globally

Habitat directly tackles poverty through its network of Habitat ReStores. As they build sustainable communities, ReStores provide access to low-cost home improvement materials, employability training for people of all abilities and divert tons of material from landfill. Every year, 90,000 local people are supported through ReStore.

The House to Home program supports vulnerable people who have been at risk of homelessness to sustain their tenancies, thus helping them to make a house a home. Habitat also raises funds across Ireland to support long-term partner programs in some of the world’s poorest communities and engages local people to become advocates for safe shelter.

 

How Habitat addresses the need in Ireland

 

Habitat ReStore

Six ReStores across Ireland demonstrate significant and sustainable impact for local people and the wider community. More than 150 volunteers invest 3,500 hours every month helping low-income families access low-cost home improvement materials. Every year, ReStore supports 25 people into employment, serves 90,000 local people, rescues 250 kitchens and diverts 1,500 tons of reusable material from landfill, thus protecting the environment.

 

House to Home program

The House to Home program supports vulnerable people who have been at risk of homelessness to sustain their tenancies, thus helping them to make a house a home. This includes redecoration, light-touch repairs or support with furniture through ReStore. The program also provides a platform for volunteer engagement locally.

 

Accredited training through ReStore

Habitat Ireland is offering free, practical and accessible courses to support local people. The courses, which are accredited through the Open College Network Northern Ireland, enable participants to learn the skills needed to thrive in retail, improve employability or take some time to think about their personal wellbeing and building resilience.

 

International partnerships

Globally, Habitat’s partnerships focus on strategic themes of peace building, disaster response and mitigation, vulnerable groups, and the impacts of urbanization. These partnerships support Habitat’s everyday work in Ethiopia, Cambodia, Malawi, Zambia, India and Romania. Support from across Ireland also contributes to Habitat’s response to disasters around the world including in Ukraine and bordering countries, Haiti, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

 

Global Village volunteer program

Volunteers from across Ireland travel in support of long-term partnerships, working alongside families and communities to help build or improve homes. Volunteers also support water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, learn about Habitat’s mission and speak out about the global need for safe shelter. 

 

What you can do

DONATE

Donations designated to Ireland support local and long-term international partner programs. habitat.org/donate

VOLUNTEER

There are opportunities to volunteer at Habitat ReStore, at events, on-site locally, or globally, supporting Habitat’s long-term partner programs.

 

CONTACT

Email: [email protected]

Phone:

  • Lisburn office  +44 28 92 635 635
  • Dublin office   +353 1 531 0033

Website: www.habitatireland.org 

 

 

Stories and news

London Opened the Door and the Conversation Followed

June 08, 2026

For two remarkable days, Covent Garden became a gathering place where reflection, conversation and connection unfolded through art, storytelling and shared experiences. On May 29–30, Habitat for Humanity’s global public art installation Let’s Open the Door arrived in London, transforming one of the city’s busiest public spaces into an immersive experience exploring what home means, why it matters and why everyone deserves one. As one of only two international cities selected to host the campaign outside the United States, London joined a global movement that has already inspired audiences in New York, Washington D.C., Orlando, Atlanta and Chicago. Through striking artistic doors, real homeowner stories and opportunities for public participation, the installation invited thousands of people to consider a simple but profound question: What does home mean to you?

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New research: Financial Instruments for Renovation of Vacant Spaces in Europe

June 05, 2026

Across Europe, millions of buildings stand empty while people struggle to find affordable places to live. HFHI conducted this research to better understand which financial mechanisms and models are most effective in converting vacant spaces into affordable housing. Looking across different European cities, the study examines how tools like loans, grants, revolving funds, and blended finance actually perform in practice - and why some approaches succeed while others fall short.

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Roma Housing: Who Will Take Responsibility?

May 13, 2026

As housing finally rises on the EU’s political agenda, one question remains largely unanswered: where do Europe’s most marginalised communities – especially Roma – fit into the European affordable housing agenda?For decades, housing sat at the margins of EU policy, constrained by Treaty limits and fragmented national competences. That era is ending. Today, housing affordability, availability, and adequacy are discussed at the highest political levels, with new initiatives, task forces, and funding debates underway. This is a welcome shift, but it also creates a responsibility: when the EU sets the direction, it must ensure no one is left behind. At present, Roma housing risks being exactly that: left behind.

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