Official Opening of Ardaveen Manor, Bessbrook  -  2 October 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen - good morning.

I should like to begin by thanking David and the Board of Helm Housing for inviting me here today, to launch this latest housing development at Ardaveen Manor. This is my first Helm opening, although of course, I have had the honour of opening several schemes under the former BIH banner.

This is a good day that celebrates new and better lives for some of our most vulnerable citizens. It really is a pleasure for me to speak on behalf of the partnership that has been responsible for the building of this magnificent, new accommodation. I have already been shown around and have been most impressed by what I have seen.

This supported living scheme provides care and support to 12 residents in a homely environment. I am delighted that my Department could provide the capital funding to bring this project to fruition.

Much work has gone into making Ardaveen Manor an exemplar for schemes of this type. It really is state of the art in terms of pushing the boundaries for accommodation that recognises and meets the needs of people with a learning disability. The finished product is a scheme that really has been designed with the needs of the individual very much in mind.

At this point, I want to take the opportunity to say thank you to all our partners who assisted in the development process. Community based services don’t just happen. Organisations and individuals need to form and develop effective working relationships to deliver a good end result. I am confident that the right things are being done here in Ardaveen Manor.

Helm Housing, the Housing Executive and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust are to be congratulated for coming up with a design and care package that has proved a real winner. Indeed, it comes as no surprise that the scheme has been short listed in this year’s UK Housing Awards. Good luck for the judging on 11 November.

When I launched the New Housing Agenda in February last year, I envisaged       the delivery of housing opportunity and choice for all members of society. Why shouldn’t our most vulnerable citizens have the opportunity to live the ordinary lives that most of us take for granted?

Development of community based services, that are accessible and responsive are the way forward. Good, suitable accommodation is a fundamental element of the services required to support those who most need our help. That is why I will continue, through the Social Housing Development Programme, to promote supported housing, which in turn promotes social inclusion to those with a learning disability or indeed any other special need.  

My top priority remains the delivery of record numbers of social housing and that includes supported housing.

You will know that budgets remain tight, but you can be assured that I will continue to robustly make the case for additional funding, so that we can deliver more schemes like we see here today.

What we must not forget, however, is that although we often talk in terms of targets and numbers, this work is really about delivering homes for people. Homes that start new lives and provide new opportunities for all who live in them.

Well done to all for making Ardaveen Manor a reality. Helm’s vision ‘to be the best in housing within the island of Ireland’ is certainly well demonstrated by the development of this latest housing scheme.

Finally, thank you to all the residents here for allowing me to invade your privacy today. It is always a disruption when a deputation descends en masse, but I certainly appreciate the opportunity to get out and about to see for myself the transforming effect that housing can bring to peoples lives.

I wish you many years of happiness and contentment in your beautiful new homes.

It now gives me great pleasure to declare Ardaveen Manor open.