Programme

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This event has been recognised as an Associated Presidency Event as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.

Draft programme

09:30 Registration and Welcome coffee 

10:00 – 10:40 Opening Session – Europe's Housing Crisis: A Call for Coordinated Action

  • Seamus Boland, EESC President 
  • Ivailo Kalfin, Eurofound, Executive Director 
  • Dan Jørgensen, EU Commissioner for Housing and Energy video-message 
  • Eamon Ryan, Chair of EU Housing advisory Board (tbc)

PANEL I – Housing for All: Responding to Diverse Needs by Combining Affordability, Inclusion and Fundamental Rights

10: 40 – 11:30 

Moderator:  Thomas Kattnig, EESC Rapporteur 

  • Donal McManus, CEO, Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) 
  • Michelle Norris, University College of Dublin 
  •  Ioana Vlad, leading expert on housing policy, FEANTSA 

PANEL II – Boosting Sustainable Housing Supply in the EU

11:40 –  12:30

Moderator: John Comer, EESC rapporteur

  • Rudolf Kolbe , EESC Rapporteur Implementing New European Bauhaus
  • Paul Tierney, Modern Methods of Construction, CEO
  • Tina Weber,Eurofound, Working Life Unit, Senior Research Manager, 

12:30 – 12:40 Closing of Morning Session

  • James Browne, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

12:45 – 14:00 Networking lunch buffet

Afternoon - thematic practice-oriented breakout sessions (participation upon registration) 

14:00 – 15:00

  • Workshop A: Social Housing fostering Resilience and Protection

Rapporteur and steering: Marie Hyland, Eurofound and Michaela Kauer, City of Vienna  

  • Workshop B: Housing Unaffordability  

Rapporteur and steering: Massimiliano Mascherini  

  • Workshop C: Sustainable financing approaches Pan-European Investment Platform, MFF and resources for the territories. 

Rapporteur and steering: Michelle Norris, University College of Dublin

15.00 – 15.15 Break

15:15 – 15:45 Plenary – presentation of the conclusions of the workshops

Closing Remarks

15:45 – 16:00

  • Maria Jepsen, Deputy Director, Eurofound, (tbc)
  • Marcin Nowacki, EESC TEN section President (tbc)