Limerick Mayor John Moran announced an ambitious plan to deliver 2,000 modular homes across the city within two years. The goal is clear – to tackle the rental crisis by offering affordable, high-quality modular homes for singles and couples, who now make up more than half of Limerick’s housing need. (RTE News).
Two demonstration units, measuring 23m² and 32m² , have been placed in the city centre so that residents can walk through, see for themselves, and form an opinion.
Moran expects rents will be kept below €1,000 per month, compared to the average €1,650 for a one-bed apartment in the city. The project is framed as a local version of the Vienna Model, where rents are based on cost rather than profit.
If successful, Limerick could become the first Irish city to use modular as a major cornerstone for affordable social housing delivery in Ireland. If you know me, I am all for anything that pushes modular construction into the Irish mainstream consciousness.
But in this post, I would like to ask is this really the breakthrough Ireland needs? Or a high-risk gamble that carries more symbolism than substance?
1. Why Public Viewing Is A Great Move.
I believe that putting the modular ‘units’ on public display, in the city centre, is one of the smartest moves thus far. It also means that you cannot miss it even if you tried.
For years, modular housing in Ireland has carried stigma – it’s been seen as a stopgap, a “prefab,” or something less than a permanent home. I also thought about it this way for years until I started looking further into it. So allowing people to step inside a modern modular unit can help shift that perception.
This is about bringing the idea of modular into the public consciousness, and creating conversation around it. Seeing is believing, and residents of Limerick now have a chance to judge for themselves whether these are dignified homes or just temporary boxes. In this sense, Moran is already ahead of many other councils who remain cautious, even timid, about introducing modular solutions at scale.
2. Modular Home Quality Will Make or Break Public Opinion.
The mayor has promised high-quality modular homes. That phrase will definitely be tested.
In Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), modular and offsite construction has been perfected into world-class housing solutions. But not just that, the climate context in which these homes are built can very well apply to Ireland – which has milder weather by comparison.
Scandinavian modular homes are energy-efficient, durable, and designed for long-term living. They are not temporary, nor do they feel that way.
If Limerick takes this route, this project could redefine modular housing in Ireland as both quality and sustainable. However, if cost-cutting results in inferior builds, the entire experiment can render modular homes unsuccessful in Ireland before they even have a chance to take root.
3. The Danger of Creating Expectations on Low Rent.
Moran has publicly stated that he expects rents will be under €1,000 a month which is very well under the Limerick County average of €1,650. On paper, this is game-changing. But in practice, it feels dangerously optimistic – especially when there are clear labour shortages in construction and material prices are so high!
How many times have we heard providers promise one price, only for it to skyrocket upon completion due to unforseen circumstances?
Ireland’s construction costs are currently among the highest in Europe. When you factor in financing, land, and inflation, it’s easy to imagine these units landing closer to €1,300–1,400/month. If that happens, the backlash will be swift – not just against Moran, but against modular housing itself.
To make modular a credible option, trust is everything.
Even though it is simply an expectation on the mayor’s part, the public will not care. That round number of €1000 will likely take on a life of its own in order to become the new public expectation.
4. Short-Term vs. Long-Term Solutions.
Housing charity NOVAS welcomed the plan but warned that modular units risk being treated as a “transitional housing” rather than permanent housing. They have a point.
Delivering small homes for singles and couples may relieve pressure in the rental market, but it doesn’t help to address Ireland’s structural deficit of 250,000 homes. Without scaling modular into larger estates, apartments and family housing, these units could be dismissed as short-term measures – a political win in the moment, but not a lasting solution.
That said, someone has to take the innovative first step. Limerick is doing just that.
By pushing modular into the mainstream conversation, Limerick is doing something no other county has tried so far, which is to break convention and signal that modular can be part of the solution.
5. Why Focus only on Singles & Couples?
The mayor says these homes are designed for one- and two-person households, which make up over half of Limerick’s need.
That’s a pragmatic starting point, but it also raises questions in my opinion.
- Is the focus on small units because larger modular homes are harder to deliver affordably right now?
- Or is it an attempt to start small, prove the concept, and build public confidence before expanding to family housing?
Either way, the absence of larger units risks reinforcing the perception that modular is only for the “left-behind” – singles, couples, or workers priced out of the market.
For modular to be a true long-term solution, it must expand beyond this narrow band and provide options for families too. Just saying.
Conclusion – Why Limerick Matters.
Despite my concerns, it’s worth recognising how bold this move really is. Limerick is the first Irish Council to commit to modular at this scale.
Other councils frequently discuss supply shortages, planning delays, and rising costs. Few have taken concrete steps to try something genuinely different. Limerick is showing a willingness to experiment, to put units in public view, to challenge assumptions and to have its own policy challenged.
In a housing system where demand continues to crush supply, that alone deserves credit. Even if imperfect, this is a sign of political courage, something sorely missing in Ireland’s housing debate.
