"Rents are at a record high – so why are private landlords selling up?"

Purple said:

Focus Ireland are a far left political lobby group and are far more interested in their political ideology than helping to "solve" homelessness. I wouldn't give them the time of day and I'd rather burn my money than give it to them. I think it's disgraceful that they receive any State funding.

Focus Ireland are an anti-landlord organisation who make the problems we have around housing provision worse.

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+1 on all counts.

Its Advocacy Director is Mike Allen, former General Secretary of the Labour Party.

Another Board member is Andrew Gunne, presumably a member of the prominent Dublin family of estate agents.. His bio on the Focus Ireland website in my opinion raises a number of questions in relation to potential conflicts of interest.

Andrew has spent his career in real estate investment. From 1999 to 2010, Andrew held various senior positions with global real estate service provider CBRE in London and Dublin. In 2010, he co-founded a boutique real estate corporate finance advisory and investment management firm. In 2014, he joined a leading Irish developer, where he set up a number of new joint ventures with global institutional investors. Along with overseeing joint ventures, in 2019, he co-founded a residential investment management business in Ireland. Andrew holds a BSc. (Surv), Trinity College Dublin and is a Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors.

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T McGibney said:

+1 on all counts.

Its Advocacy Director is Mike Allen, former General Secretary of the Labour Party.

Another Board member is Andrew Gunne, presumably a member of the prominent Dublin family of estate agents.. His bio on the Focus Ireland website in my opinion raises a number of questions in relation to potential conflicts of interest.

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And the Shinner's Housing Spokesperson is a former employee.

Guys I don't agree with the policies of Focus Ireland. They do make matters worse.

But could you nominate some other board members whom you would be happy with?

I don't see anything wrong with a former Labour Party employee being a director of a homeless charity. Campaigning groups often recruit people who have campaigned before. A former Fine Gael Minister is the head of the Banking and Payments Federation. They understand the nature of campaigning and they have political and other contacts.

I don't know Andrew Gunne. But I think it would be helpful to have someone on the board who understands residential property investment. For all we know, he might be more purple than Purple himself and advocating common sense on the board.

Brendan

Did someone complain about the board members?

Brendan Burgess said:

Guys I don't agree with the policies of Focus Ireland. They do make matters worse.

But could you nominate some other board members whom you would be happy with?

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Their policies are at odds with my values. I cannot support any organisation that advocates for equality of outcome or doesn't have personal responsibility at the core of their beliefs. Nobody I agree with would be accepted onto their board.

Brendan Burgess said:

I don't see anything wrong with a former Labour Party employee being a director of a homeless charity. Campaigning groups often recruit people who have campaigned before. A former Fine Gael Minister is the head of the Banking and Payments Federation. They understand the nature of campaigning and they have political and other contacts.

I don't know Andrew Gunne. But I think it would be helpful to have someone on the board who understands residential property investment. For all we know, he might be more purple than Purple himself and advocating common sense on the board.

Brendan

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I've no objection to anyone joining any board. Focus Ireland's board looks like it has some very capable people.