UCD ‘Social Justice & the City’ essay competition 2026

Clúid always welcomes the opportunity to engage with others in the development of social and affordable housing policy, including academic institutions. We were therefore delighted to collaborate for the sixth time, this year, with the UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice in hosting a competition for third year students of the BSc in Social Justice earlier this month. Students of the module ‘Social Justice & the City’ entered an essay competition outlining their proposals for a new housing model, promoting the theme of social justice.

Clúid staff (Fiona Dunkin – Housing Policy Manager and Val Kearney, Policy & Research Coordinator), a Clúid resident (a member of Clúid’s National Residents Advisory Group – NRAG – Mary Osakwe) and module coordinator and UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice Lecturer/Assistant Professor Michael Byrne, judged the entries.

The topics of the winning essays, this year, covered housing provision for victims/survivors of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, housing affordability for young people and the establishment of a National Cost Rental Agency.

We are delighted to announce the joint winners, who have each been awarded a €250 voucher:

Nicole Butler	Cara McCaul	Maeve Farragher
Click here to read Nicole’s essay entry	Click here to read Cara’s essay entry	Click here to read Maeve’s essay entry

Nicola, Cara and Maeve visited the Clúid offices in Dublin, where they met with Averil Power (Clúid CEO), Fiona and Val and were presented with their awards.

We thank the students for their interest in and engagement with innovation in social and affordable housing delivery and we wish them the very best as they complete their studies this year.