Top housing official to step down early in blow to Government plan

A top housing official is to step down from his position early, The Irish Times has learned.

Bob Jordan, the chief executive of The Housing Agency, will step down in September in what will be seen as a blow to the Government’s housing delivery plan, with the Department of Housing having been advised of his decision last week.

Mr Jordan, a former chief executive of Threshold housing charity and a one-time political adviser to then minister for housing Simon Coveney, was appointed to head up the Government body in 2021.

An announcement on his decision, which comes amid ongoing pressure on the Government to deliver on housing and as increased targets for homebuilding are awaited, is expected on Thursday.

The Housing Agency’s remit is to work with the department, local authorities and sectoral bodies on the delivery of housing. It supports the delivery of housing supply and developing policy. It also has a role putting into operation Government schemes such as the pyrite remediation scheme and the mortgage-to-rent programme.

It is also operating an interim remediation scheme for defective apartments. It is understood Mr Jordan had a five-year deal in place and is stepping down early to pursue other opportunities.

Sources familiar with Mr Jordan’s thinking said he was not acting out of frustration but was influenced by the timing of the political cycle, with a general election in the coming months, and the completion of a three year strategy at the agency informed the decision.