€3.4m 'age-friendly' housing project in Offaly nearing completion
A development of ten 'age-friendly' homes at Beechwood Court in Daingean, Offaly, is now nearing completion.
On Friday last Offaly County Council welcomed Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, John Cummins, to the Beechwood Court site to view the progress made on the €3.4 million project.
Construction work started last summer on the ten single-storey houses designed to meet age-friendly and accessibility requirements for older residents and those who need universally designed homes.
Offaly County Council last year appointed Carroll O’Keefe & Co Ltd as the main contractor for the delivery of the new housing.
The council said the scheme, which is arranged in two terraces, has been designed to create "a safe and accessible residential environment, with level pathways, easy-to-navigate layouts, and on-site parking supporting ease of access" for residents
After visiting the site, Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, John Cummins, said: "This development in Daingean is a great example of what can be achieved when local authorities work closely with delivery partners to provide high-quality, age-friendly homes that enable people to live independently in their own communities.
"I want to commend Offaly County Council and all those involved in bringing this project to fruition.
"As our population ages, developments like this will become increasingly important. They provide not just homes, but dignity, security and the opportunity for older people to remain connected to the places and communities they know best.
"This is exactly the type of collaborative, well-designed housing delivery that we need to see replicated right across the country, and I look forward to supporting more projects of this kind in the years ahead."
The chief executive of Offaly County Council, Eoghan Ryan, commented: "Beechwood Court reflects our focus on delivering housing that responds to real community needs.
"By combining universal design principles with high energy efficiency standards, we are providing homes that will enable people to remain living independently in their community, while also ensuring long-term sustainability."
The homes will incorporate air-to-water heat pump systems, with each unit targeting an A2 Building Energy Rating.
The scheme was developed by Offaly County Council’s housing team, supported by an age friendly technical advisor, in collaboration with SDS Design Engineers (civil and structural), Hayes Higgins Partnership (mechanical and electrical), and Tobin Consulting (quantity surveying).
Construction contractor Carroll O'Keefe & Co Ltd began work on site just over a year ago, in late June of 2025.
Funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Social Housing Investment Programme, the €3.4 million project forms part of the council’s wider programme of housing delivery across Offaly.