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HOMELESS ACTIVISTS OCCUPYING the Nama-controlled Apollo House in Dublin have launched a nightly ‘mobile outreach’ service.
Home Sweet Home, the group behind the occupation, says it has launched the service “following the extremely generous donations from the Irish public” received over the Christmas period.
The team will “distribute essentials” like sleeping bags, thermal clothing, and toiletries to people sleeping rough around the city centre.
“We encountered about 10 people on Wednesday night sleeping rough in the Grafton Street area,” said volunteer Shane Griffin.
What was really striking was how grateful they were for things which are absolutely essential – some of them were sleeping on the street in the cold without blankets or any covering at all.’
“The people we met said that there were simply not enough beds available, and that the accommodation that is available is either unsafe or unsuitable,” Griffin added.
“This is a movement to end homelessness in Ireland,” Tommy Gavin of the Irish Housing Network meanwhile said.
The campaign does not end at the gates of Apollo House.
The outreach group itself consists of “six-plus people working on behalf of Apollo house”, according to Gavin, operating between 11pm and 3am.
“The team themselves are really, really happy to be doing this because it’s people who are volunteering and who feel so passionate about the homeless crisis,” Gavin said, adding that the experience of the new team to date “shows Dublin City Council’s claim that there are more than enough beds in quality accommodation to be a total contradiction”.
Over 2,000 people have thus far offered their services to volunteer at Apollo House since the building was first occupied on 15 December, according to Home Sweet Home.
38 people spent Christmas night in the building, with 70 homeless people receiving Christmas dinner on the premises.
While the occupation itself bears all the hallmarks of a professional operation, the courts have nevertheless given Home Sweet Home until 11 January to vacate the building.
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They have 2,000 volunteers.
I’m sorry to have to say this but I agree with Fr Peter McVerry when he says volunteers are easily distracted.
I assure you, those 2,000 volunteers are there until you call upon them.
When all the euphoria and Christmas feel good factor dies out, the volunteers won’t be there.
Do you volunteer yourself Tom?
No Benjy, I didn’t volunteer.
If and when I do volunteer it will be thought through with an understanding of the commitment involved.
It won’t be led by mass sentiment.
So you’re shouting advice from the safety of the sidelines then. Good man. That’s sure to fix things.
Says Benjy preaching on social media.
Let’s be honest Benjy.
Neither you or I or the hysteria mob will do anything for the homeless.
Same question to you comrade Benjy….have you volunteered?
I’m a socialist and a political activist addressing the root cause of the homeless crisis. That is the capitalist system which prioritises profit above all other concerns including families having a roof over their heads. Now what are you doing nialls?
Tom, And without the “mob” we would live in abject poverty and misery. The majority working class has had to fight for every concession. Capital will grant us nothing without being forced to.
bollocks benjy. you are a windbag
I’ve done more than you know Benjy but I don’t feel the need to publicise it. Keep saving the world with your phone keyboard comrade!
Political activist?
Also, I didn’t see the likes of Hansard offer to bring these homeless folk around to his for Christmas dinner.
He didn’t need to bring them around for dinner. . They had their dinner already at Apollo House …
@Anonymous Man: Didn’t see any Blueshirts doing it either. But then, it’s the Blueshirts that made them homeless.
No but Glen was certainly part responsible for raising awareness and tugging at the heartstrings of folks at Christmas time to contribute time and resources to an excellent cause, which could affect every family- rich or poor – in Ireland at some stage due to unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, mental illness etc.
Admittedly, publicly funded Social Services can only do so much, and sometimes Charities have to step in and fill the services void, like HSH.
What did you do ????? Except whine and give out about it
I thought the Simon Community already do this with fully qualified, trained and experienced team of workers? Who are also fully insured.
I had the opportunity to tail them a few years ago and since then: I’ve nothing but respect for frontline staff in the official Homeless charities… It was rough and harrowing. One of the workers got a punch in the face from an aggressive junkie. I can’t see Apollo volunteers hanging around doing that night in night out, for too long.
I question the point of the Apollo House action and it’s focus on the street homeless which isn’t the real crisis here-it’s the families and children in hostels and B&Bs that are far worse IMO. If these families were housed then there would be more safer B&B options for street homeless who avoid most of the shelters.
Are you doing anything to tackle the humanitarian crisis of children being reared in grotty B&Bs then?
Becasuse if you voted for FF, FG or Labour then you’ve voted for the housing crisis as it’s their policy which allows the speculators to gorge themselves on the back of a scarcity of affordable accommodation.
So what’s the answer Benjy?
Vote SF to end homelessness.
Just like they did in NI?
@Benjy yes I do – I offer to communicate with authorities, help get their paperwork in order, apply for SWA/rent supplements/other supports if necessary etc. It’s not enough just to turn up and declare yourself homeless-you have to have all the documents to prove how you became homeless plus you need to show proof of disability or special needs to get additional support. Majority of them have poor literacy skills or are stumped by the paperwork. And no I am not a government employee-just an advocate.
Tom, The solution is to manage our resources to meet human need instead of to generate profit for private capital owners. We have all the resources necessary to provide everyone with a decent and affordable home. Yet a homeless epidemic rages and we have hundreds of thousands of families crushed under extortionate rents and mortgage debt. This is an ideological choice which enriches the 1% at the expense of the majority.
Well then Vic one of the key objectives of the Apollo house occupation is to put the government under intense political pressure for the homeless crisis which they have caused. Homelessness is a de facto policy of our political establishment. And though charities and advocates like yourself do great work in tackling the symptoms of the problem it is the disease that needs to be tackled. That is allowing housing to be used by the rentier class to gorge themselves at our expense.
Vic it’s a political stunt. no more no less
@Patrick Gough: it is an activist initiative which has drawn increased attention to this humanitarian crisis. It is not a solution in itself but it is a powerful call to action. It is a politucal action, not a party political move, but we should now all realise that we should not leave politics and the public interest to the established politicians.
That’s a growth idea. Set up in opposition to the Simon community, try and target funds from the public, and then fade away when apollo house is demolished and ogle & co have had their day in court. I love the sustainability of this model.
*great* idea
Brilliant initiative in the face of the homeless epidemic created by our parasitic ruling class. Solidarity with all in Apollo house.
Must be galling for the parasitic Fine Gael party to see the people taking things into their own hands.How much Irish land has Noonan sold to his corporate friends for a pittance that could otherwise be used for housing our own people.
Is this not just reinventing the wheel?
There’s beds all over the place at this stage be it state provided/supported or otherwise such as apollo house. Why aren’t people using it?
@mcgoo: Could be to do with not wanting to be housed with people using drugs etc but the dorms at the new hostels only have 2-4 beds per room so it’s not that bad.
I’m thinking it’s likely either, lack of knowledge? They have no internet etc so they don’t know there’s been new beds made available or that because or drink / drug issues etc they just stay outside rather than going to the hostels.
Even Apollo house itself isn’t at its 40-person capacity.
Cause a lot of those “beds” are just a roll out matt on the floor of a building. The whole spin on beds available is a waffle to make the government look like they’re actually doing something when the reality is they could do a lot more and should be. They aren’t building soical housing, they aren’t taking on derelict properties, they won’t even allow those who have offered to bring the derelict houses up to standard do it themselves with no cost to the tax payer, cause they think 70 beds abailable is the answer, and take note, these beds only become available to the 1st 70 people that get through to a freephone number on any given night. Now all of a sudden after Apollo House, miraculously proper beds for a 6mth period suddenly became available, but what happens after the 6mths? Those slating the work of apollo house need to realise they aren’t looking to single handedly fix the homeless crisis they just rightly want the government to act on the crisis like they should.. its a 100% voluntary movement, theres no CEO taking a salary, no worker getting paid.. it opened the publics eyes, the donations have gone far and wide past apollo house, they gave much needed supplies to the Simon Community, SVP, McVerry Trust. Yet theres stil so many slating the idea! Personally meself i dont understand your way of thinking, but each to their own an all that!
@Christine Hanway: The newly opened hostels do not have the mats, they have 210 beds separated into dorms of 2-4 beds each. Here’s some pictures of them:
https://www.facebook.com/DublinSimonCommunity/posts/10153973139566640
https://www.facebook.com/petermcverrytrust/posts/1534616873233912
Based on figures found in November of 142 rough sleepers, there should be approx. 110 beds surplus to demand (when including the 40 from Apollo house).
If this is the case then why are so many left on the streets cause they cant get a bed using the freephone number or going through the system? Why doesnt it all add up? And whats being done outside of Dublin? On top of that, this like many others in hostels an b&b’s, this is not the answer.. all these one night at a time answers are not solutions, so like my points made up above, more needs to be done.. this crisis was sinking into the background out of the media, apollo house reingnited the crisis it isnt goin to go away with short term solutions.. children can not grow up in b&bs im not saying everyone should be handed out a free house cause we arent blind to the scammers of the system, but the homeless zombie land dublin city is turning into needs to addressed and fixed.. there are so many different situations within this one sceanrio it seems like an endless problem to which nobody is willing to change or fix..
@Christine Hanway: that is a practical and informed comment.
Another Apollo Hse article, and the FG fraperoom is in overdrive again.
Will these “extremely generous donations” be fully and properly accounted for, given that they are not a registered Charity? Are we now entering a competitive process where multiple organisations will be cutting across one another?
The greatest thing about Apollo House is not the beds it provides.
It is the international and national attention it is bringing to this national housing emergency.
Apollo House must remain occupied until the housing crisis is fully solved.
Although I sort of hope the government attempts a forcible eviction. The international headlines will be the government’s worst nightmare.
Fair play to everyone involved at Apollo House, wishing you a Happy New Year and a full stay until January 2018.
Apollo House has brought focus upon homelessness and has caused panic amongst right wing, conventional and uncaring politicians.
I doubt that anyone can say that the pre Apollo House housing situation was in any way satisfactory or acceptable.
A lot of my comments removed. Did it not suit your agenda Journal.ie??
This guy says it all really
https://youtu.be/jIRht6O7sCQ
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