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"Not one person left behind" - there's a cheerful defiance about Apollo House this evening

The remaining occupants of the Nama-controlled building have been ordered to vacate the building by the High Court.

11/1/2017. Apollo House Homeless Crisis Sam Boal Sam Boal

Updated at 10.15pm 

AROUND ABOUT APOLLO House this afternoon, there was a hum of nervous expectation.

With the (legal) future of the Home Sweet Home occupation set to be decided in front of Justice Paul Gilligan at the High Court at midday, the crowd gathered knew an announcement was imminent.

What way the occupants would react to the coming order was less certain. But you got the idea there was a reason the rally that was being held was taking place in front of the property around which four weeks of mighty controversy had unfolded, rather than at the Four Courts.

Just before midday, a couple of hundred supporters stood and sung absentmindedly. The remaining occupants and activists sang along with them to David Gray’s Babylon from the building’s balcony.

“Lads, we have some news from the court,” spokeswoman for Home Sweet Home Rosi Leonard eventually told the crowd.

Beforehand, there had been pockets of space throughout the sizeable crowd. Now everyone instinctively moved forward. The news was as expected – as far as the judge was concerned the residents of Apollo House had had a long enough of a stay – they were to vacate the building.

If anyone in attendance at the site were perturbed by the news, they weren’t showing it.

“This is not over,” Leonard said defiantly. “These people took shelter here because they had nowhere else to go.”

‘Like dogs’

Yesterday Simon Coveney spoke to us as if he was willing to meet minimum standards. Then today we had eight residents who left to go to that homeless accommodation. And they came back, because they said the conditions there were worse than prison.
They’re treating us like dogs. They’re treating us like fools… We’re not taking it any more. This housing crisis is going to end, and it’s going to end in a way that is fair and dignified for everyone, that will guarantee everyone a safe home. We are going to defy this court order. We are staying here.

The resulting cheers were those of nervous release. Now everyone knew what was to happen next, in the short term at any rate.

Now Leonard beseeched all those present to link arms in a human chain around the block and building: “We need you to stand with us… to send a clear message that we are standing together.”

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

It took a few minutes, but soon enough the chain was in place around the entire structure, with all present being led in a chant of “What do we want? Homes for the homeless! When do we want them? Now!”.

From worry, the air was now one of cheerful defiance. On neighbouring Tara Street truck and taxi drivers beeped their solidarity. Apollo House may be occupied in three months, it may be empty this time next week. But just for the moment, everyone present stood as one.

Over 205 people have taken shelter in Apollo House since the occupation began on 15 December, with up to 40 homeless people staying there each night.

Home Sweet Home announced on Monday that it had reached an agreement with Housing Minister Simon Coveney over the transition of the remaining residents there to alternative suitable accommodation.

It was believed that this transition would be completed in days, with the building being completely vacated by tomorrow.

Tony Walsh, one of the team leaders of the occupying activists, introduced us to one man, a recovering addict and one of the eight residents who had returned to the building from the alternative accommodation that had been provided.

“They were cleaning up syringes, cleaning up syringes into yellow bags this morning,” he said of his experience in the hostel.

“We’ve had residents come back with pictures of blood on the wall, alcohol and drugs being used in the services,” said Walsh. “They don’t want to go into the hostels because they’ve alcohol and drugs in there. They’re not safe.”

20170111_122604 TheJournal.ie TheJournal.ie

‘We want change’

This afternoon, Housing Minister Coveney was keeping things low key. While reiterating that “210 new additional emergency beds are being provided” in Dublin city centre since the start of December, as far as Apollo House is concerned his words struck a conciliatory tone.

“In relation to Apollo house, the Minister would encourage the representatives of the Home Sweet Home campaign to continue to engage with the Peter McVerry Trust and DCC with a view to making arrangements for the transition of people currently in Apollo House to alternative suitable accommodation with appropriate supports,” he said.

Tony Walsh is not for changing however, certainly not at present.

“We want change,” he said. “Home Sweet Home have raised the bar as far as how hostels are run.”

What we have achieved in three and a half weeks is amazing. We got into this for people, so they could go into a hostel where it was safe, where it was warm, with wraparound services to help them move forward. Let me tell you, when these people go into these other hostels, it isn’t a step forward, it’s ten steps back.
People are fearful – they won’t go into the hostels because of the way they’re run. Then ask people how Apollo House is run – it’s warm, it’s friendly. These people aren’t animals.

And now he’s sticking to his guns: “What we wanted was everyone to be housed. And we’re not moving until that is the case.”

If there’s one person left behind, we are going to stay and fight for that one person. Not one person will be left behind. Enough is enough.

A vigil in support of the Home Sweet Home movement was held outside Apollo House this evening.

Can’t watch the video? Click here

Can’t watch video? Click here

Read: Judge says Apollo House occupiers can’t stay any longer – but they say they’re not going anywhere

Read: Twink avoids having her home sold after paying off €18,000 arrears

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90 Comments
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    Mute CJ Stewart
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:54 PM

    Point made..now if the doo’gooders, hippies, fasionable populists and camera bombers could bugger off, it’s time to give this building back and deal with this issue properly..the last thing we need is people invading empty buildings..we need houses and homes and we need Govt to sort this eith a structured framwork to address homelessness ..not the press, not the hippies and god knows who else…because it will snowball into a squatters nation…and that’s anarchy …

    110
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:50 PM

    @CJ Stewart: I’d guess the problem is the government is not providing a “structured framework”…….

    18
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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:35 PM

    @CJ Stewart:

    Perhaps you’d rather see some vulture funds get the building for 10cent in the Euro?

    Two years ago someone died at the door step of the government. Did they give a damn, once the photo opportunity pasted? Not one!

    Apollo house is the governments making. Perhaps if they weren’t faning over vulture funds and knee deep in trying to privatise the water we bathe our children in this wouldn’t have happened.

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    Mute patient pNibbler
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    Jan 12th 2017, 7:58 AM

    @CJ Stewart: “the last thing we need is people invading empty buildings”

    and here was i thinking that the last thing we needed was people dying on the streets

    ps.. are you related to richard nixon?

    4
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:29 AM

    @SickOfCorruption: You can be certain that Apollo House has already been sold off either to a vulture fund or to a friend of FG, perhaps A Maltese tax exile……

    4
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    Mute JFN
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:51 PM

    Don’t kick drug addicts out – accommodation isn’t “suitable”. Kick drug addicts out – HSH will claim the government is making people homeless and take over more buildings. Can’t win in this situation!

    96
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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:23 PM

    @JFN:

    Its two years since a homeless person died outside Lenister House. Two YEARS.

    HSH was completely necessary – someone had to shame the vulture fund loving government in to action.

    31
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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:21 PM

    I’m loving my red thumbs. Waves at all those paid/encouraged to tow the party line.

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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:20 AM

    @JFN: Cynical me says the organisers are just anti-establishment and the residents are in it for the publicity which might lead to a free house.

    I’d go as far to say a lot of the organisers want things to turn nasty and the Guards to get involved in moving them on etc. Perpetual revolution against the evil “establishment”

    23
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    Mute Patrick Gough
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:26 AM

    sick that man who died from alcoholic poisoning had 2 houses

    35
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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:28 AM

    @SickOfCorruption: The family of the man who died outside Leinster House was a drug addict and if I remember correctly actually sold 2 houses he was given. There are some people you can’t help.

    Here’s a quote from him:

    “I’ll make €30 sitting in here for three hours; that’s more than I’d get for working in a real job. Even if I wasn’t homeless, I’d still beg”

    If you want to use your wages to buy people like him a third house, be my guest. Don’t do it with my money. I work 35 hours a week and may never be able to own a home.

    45
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    Mute Bo Cianuro
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    Jan 12th 2017, 3:49 AM

    @Carl Nolan:
    anti-establishment – hates govt – demands Govt – Establishment gives them free house.,
    makes perfect sense.

    11
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    Mute patient pNibbler
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    Jan 12th 2017, 7:47 AM

    @Carl Nolan: “I work 35 hours a week and may never be able to own a home.”

    and yet he defends the system

    #capitalism is laughing at you carl

    4
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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:21 AM

    @patient pNibbler: It’s actually my opinion that un-capitalistic Government intervention is what’s causing the housing crisis.

    But regardless, maybe you could give me examples of countries that have thrown capitalism to the wind that are doing better than Ireland? I’m genuinely open to having my mind changed but have never seen one before. It’s the reason people migrate to Western countries in the millions. People who grew up in the West don’t know what real poverty looks like.

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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:25 AM

    @Bo Cianuro: What’s a free house?
    Did you get one?

    3
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:33 AM

    @Carl Nolan: 35 hours a week?
    Public ‘servant’, are ya?

    My money?
    The small amount you pay in taxes is no longer ‘your’ money, it belongs to the exchequer.
    What services do you use that are funded by the state?
    How much do you think they cost?
    Do you actually believe that ‘your taxes’ cover what the state spends to provide you with services?

    1
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:34 AM

    @Patrick Gough: And?

    1
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:39 AM

    @Carl Nolan: First they came for the homeless, and I did not speak out……because I was not homeless.

    Then they came for my health service, and I did not speak out…….because I wasn’t ill.

    Then they came for my pension, and I did not speak out……because I do not provide for my own pension.

    Then they came after my bank account……but it was too late, because I did not speak out at all!

    3
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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 9:09 AM

    @The Wolf:

    “Do you actually believe that ‘your taxes’ cover what the state spends to provide you with services?”

    What? Yes of course I do. How do you think we fund our country? If I were working in Ireland I would be paying €273 tax per week. I think that’d cover my usage. Plus the usage of a few others who pay no tax yet do all the complaining about not getting enough. Entitlement that’s only put into perspective when you compare it with the massive amounts of money taken from middle/upper class people’s incomes every week.

    4
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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jan 12th 2017, 9:26 AM

    @The Wolf: I’m fairly sure Pastor Neimoller didn’t intend for his immortal words to be used to defend workshy knackers and junkies.

    6
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 9:28 AM

    @Carl Nolan: “If I were working in Ireland”?
    So, you aren’t working and paying taxes here?

    4
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 9:32 AM

    @CeannairBlue: I’m sure you haven’t a clue about what your saying.
    You better google a bit more, or better still go and get an education.

    3
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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 10:41 AM

    @The Wolf: No I’m not, nor am I claiming welfare or receiving services. What’s your point?

    1
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 11:16 AM

    @Carl Nolan: Mind your own business.
    Keep your nose out of Irish affairs.

    1
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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 11:50 AM

    @The Wolf:

    I was born and bred in Dubin, but good comeback anyway.

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    Mute Maurice Slater
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:42 PM

    Those homeless the ones that are interested and able body in appolo house should be offered jobs in the demo and in the rebuilding, if you want a new start give something back,

    84
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    Mute The Wolf
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:22 AM

    @Maurice Slater: Perhaps the government could restart apprenticeship schemes for people through local authorities by allowing local authorities build social housing?

    12
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    Mute Benjy Dempsey
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    Jan 12th 2017, 8:39 AM

    @Maurice Slater:

    What would you suggest the bankers and bondholders give back for the €100+ billion new start we’ve given them?

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jan 12th 2017, 9:19 AM

    @Benjy Dempsey: Oh can you just give it a rest for ONCE ????

    10
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    Mute Benjy Dempsey
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    Jan 12th 2017, 9:53 AM

    @CeannairBlue:
    Eh………….No.

    3
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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 3:52 PM

    @Benjy Dempsey: Do you think all of that money was just “given” to “the bankers”? Is that actually your understanding of what happened?

    1
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    Mute Tbones
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:57 PM

    What ever about homeless people unable to find housing, working people will find themselves in the same boat soon enough, not enough houses to rent or buy at a reasonable price is only going to end one way. It’s going to get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better.

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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:04 PM

    @Tbones: so very true.

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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:30 PM

    @Tbones:

    Very true. What chances to my young kids have in this country when the grow up? All housing owned by the already wealthy and vulture funds.

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    Mute Tbones
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:45 PM

    Exactly, all well and good people who have their own houses at the moment but down the line their kids will struggle to not just rent somewhere when they finish school but to own a their own house will become virtually impossible.

    24
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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:05 PM

    @Tbones:

    You said it. All the people in this country who vote in these self serving gombeens fail to realise that it is their children who will be: A: priced out of ever owning their own home and … B: at the mercy of profit gouging vulture funds for their rent.

    19
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    Mute Derek Poutch
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:22 PM

    @Tbones: Now you see what the “recovery” is tbones make the vultures fatter and f-ck the people who get in the way.

    14
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    Mute Tbones
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:42 PM

    The whole vulture fund situation is going to take this crisis up a couple of levels very very quickly.

    10
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:39 PM

    Fair play and respect to them. I hope that it works out well.

    The Home Sweet Home initiative has served an invaluable purpose in highlighting homeless as a real issue.

    52
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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:35 PM

    The ones that are staying there because they want a house. So what makes them think that they should jump the housing list ?

    45
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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:41 PM

    @Suzie Sunshine: yeah, they need to cop on and get in line behind Noonans vulture funds.

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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:40 AM

    @Tony Daly: Yes until now no one knew there was a homelessness crisis. It wasn’t mentioned on TV or radio or in newspapers every day. But now because this building has been taken over I know about the homelessness problem.

    15
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:08 PM

    Prison conditions are the minimum living standards, why should homeless accommodation be any higher? Unlike Prisoners the homeless have the prospect of getting a job and earning their comfortable living standard. If they can’t do that for one self inflicted reason or another why should the taxpayer compensate for their life mistakes?

    48
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    Mute Alex Falcone
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:20 PM

    @Rochelle:
    Interesting that your comparison conflates those deserving of punishment with people who are down on their luck,.
    They are not the same category of people.

    23
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    Mute Brendan Mason
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:22 PM

    @Rochelle:that is a greedy American self centered opinion. I’m sure they would like the opportunity to work. Can you give them that.

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:23 PM

    The purpose of prison is to rehabilitate, not to punish.

    21
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    Mute Alex Falcone
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:26 PM

    @Rochelle:
    Well, as far as I’m aware, homelessness is not a crime punishable by law.
    Yet.

    24
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:52 PM

    @Rochelle: “The purpose of prison is to rehabilitate, not to punish.”

    If you believe that you are so naive it makes you sweet.

    21
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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:38 PM

    @Rochelle: god you’re all heart.

    What about those that are homeless through no fault of their own? You know like average industrial wage families that have been priced out of putting a roof over their heads.

    19
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    Mute Emeralds
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:04 PM

    Americans are extremely generous, they just prefer to choose for themselves who they donate to

    6
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:51 PM

    It is more and more obvious that the only effective solution to the housing crisis will be a massive programme of social housing. This has to take effect as soon as possible.

    The limited supply of very expensive private residential rented property is not adequate to meet across the board demand.

    46
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    Mute Shane Corry
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:55 PM

    @Tony Daly:

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/dublin-city-councillors-approve-plans-for-nearly-1-700-homes-1.2930705 30% social housing so 410 social houses coming this year.

    The last paragraph is of particular interest:
    ” Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit, the Workers Party and some independents voted against the plans, saying they represented the privatisation of public land.”

    Of course the AAA-PBP couldn’t actually vote in favour of some new social housing being built! How would they be able to spread their “the government hates homeless people” message then!

    51
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:57 PM

    @Shane Corry: well privitisation of publicly owned land coumounds the supply problem.

    Private solutions to public problems has a very poor track record.

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    Mute John Moylan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:30 AM

    @Tony – well privatisation as you call it is providing the funds to build the 30%. Don’t want to that? Fine, just open the chequebook and fund it then: oh, wait, LA’S don’t actually have any €€ to build anything…..so build nothing instead us your answer ?

    9
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    Mute Shane Corry
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:55 PM

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/dublin-city-councillors-approve-plans-for-nearly-1-700-homes-1.2930705 30% social housing so 410 social houses coming this year.

    The last paragraph is of particular interest:
    ” Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit, the Workers Party and some independents voted against the plans, saying they represented the privatisation of public land.”

    Of course the AAA-PBP couldn’t actually vote in favour of some new social housing being built! How would they be able to spread their “the government hates homeless people” message then!

    40
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:00 PM

    @Shane Corry: the privatisation of public land exacerbates the problem, not resolves it.

    Public solutions are required to public problems.

    The private sectirvand the privitisation of public assets will not solve this crisis.

    18
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    Mute Carl Nolan
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    Jan 12th 2017, 12:37 AM

    @Shane Corry: AAA-PBP are enemies of the poor. Their policies will put a stop to economic growth and progress and create an environment toxic to business and development.

    What they say might sound great in theory but the outcomes would be disastrous for the ordinary citizen.

    14
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    Mute David Mac Shite
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:41 PM

    They really need to be more creative with their chants.

    36
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    Mute Mikhail Valtazar
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:48 PM

    It’s not exactly the brains trust we’re dealing with here.

    53
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:52 PM

    @Mikhail Valtazar: in your personal case, that does seem true.

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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:49 PM

    @Mikhail Valtazar:

    I disagree, this was an inspired move to show up the lack of heart by those in government.

    11
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    Mute David Harries
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:44 PM

    Good luck to them but for the grace of God

    32
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    Mute Alex Falcone
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:50 PM

    If the government have any sense they will avoid the mistake of employing the state police force to forcibly evict these vulnerable people from Apollo House.
    Thatcherite tactics do not go down well in this republic.

    28
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    Mute JFN
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:53 PM

    The government? It’s not the government doing this. The receivers are responsible for the building. If they call the gardai to enforce a court order, the gardai can’t just refuse! Next time take over an actual government building.

    42
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    Mute Alex Falcone
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:59 PM

    @JFN:
    Apollo House is owned by NAMA, so effectively it is state owned.

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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:10 PM

    @Alex Falcone: Nama is only 49% state owned, so the government does not control it.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:54 PM

    @JFN: Do you also believe in the tooth fairy JFN?

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    Mute JFN
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:38 PM

    I believe in facts. If you can provide evidence of the tooth fairy, I’ll believe in her. Here’s my evidence: https://www.nama.ie/about-us/group-structure/

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    Mute For Connolly
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:03 PM

    Have to say its been very telling watching the full weight of the establishment media and the usual little sycophants spew their vitriol since Apollo House was first occupied.

    The status quo is being challenged, and when people sleep on the streets while buildings we own but have no say over lie empty, then it deserves to be challenged.

    Keep up the good work everyone.

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    Mute Willy Malone
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:00 PM

    Could this bring down the Government? FG hacks here awful worried ..

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    Mute SickOfCorruption
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    Jan 11th 2017, 10:42 PM

    @Willy Malone: they sure are, I’ve been reading without posting for a year. I haven’t seen this much activity in ages.

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Jan 11th 2017, 8:59 PM

    Would be nice if Apollo House delivered on their original promise. Which was to house Apollo moon landing mission artifacts and create new replicas.

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    Mute Emeralds
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    Jan 11th 2017, 11:02 PM

    And fight Rocky

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    Mute CeannairBlue
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    Jan 12th 2017, 9:32 AM

    @Emeralds: May Mr Creed rest in peace! But his kid came close!

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    Mute @mdmak33
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    Jan 11th 2017, 9:12 PM

    All the best,well done.you are very good people.

    19
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