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LAST UPDATE | 12 May 2022
THE NORTHERN IRELAND Protocol has become a “real problem” and must be “fixed” to ensure the country can agree a new powersharing administration, Boris Johnson has said.
The UK and the European Union have come to fresh blows over the Brexit treaty after reports emerged that the UK Foreign Secretary is drawing up emergency legislation to suspend elements of the protocol.
Boris Johnson, who negotiated the protocol when taking Britain out of the EU, would not be drawn on whether the wording of the divorce pact needed to be changed when questioned this evening.
He argued that without changes to the treaty, which is designed to prevent a hard border here, a new executive in Northern Ireland could not be formed as per the rules set out in the Good Friday Agreement.
Sinn Féin made history during last week’s Stormont elections when it became the largest party in the Assembly for the first time.
But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has ruled out entering into a new powersharing administration without significant changes to the protocol which governs post-Brexit trading arrangements.
The impasse has led to concerns in Westminster that the protocol could spark sectarian violence.
Johnson told broadcasters that the “institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement aren’t functioning” and that political governance in Northern Ireland has “collapsed”.
Speaking in Stoke-on-Trent, he said: “The people of Northern Ireland need leadership, they need a regional, a provincial government… they haven’t got that.
“That’s a real, real problem.
And the reason they don’t have that is because there’s one community in Northern Ireland that won’t accept the way the protocol works at present – we’ve got to fix that.
The latest row came as months of tensions over the working of the protocol – which forms part of the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement with the EU – threatened to boil over.
Under its terms, the UK is required to impose checks on some goods crossing from Great Britain to Northern Ireland in order to maintain an open border here while protecting the EU single market.
However, the Government has complained that the way it is being implemented is imposing a huge burden on businesses in Northern Ireland and creating trade barriers within the union.
UK Ministers have repeatedly warned that they could unilaterally suspend the arrangements unless the EU agrees to major changes to reduce the impact.
But Brussels has raised the possibility of suspending the entire Brexit deal if the threat is carried out, in a move that would spark an all-out trade war and potentially exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss used a phone call with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic to warn that if the bloc does not show “flexibility” over the trading arrangements, then the UK would have “no choice but to act” alone, the Foreign Office said.
Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis later drove that message home during a visit to Brussels, giving a speech in which he pressed for “significant changes”.
He said the EU’s approach in refusing to change the negotiation mandate had been “hugely disappointing”.
“We will continue to talk with the EU but we won’t let that stand in the way of protecting peace and political stability in Northern Ireland,” Ellis told a press conference at the European Parliament.
“As both the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have made clear, we will take action to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement if solutions cannot be found.”
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, speaking to reporters in Antrim, said Government figures had told him to expect “movement” on the protocol “fairly soon”.
According to The Times, Attorney General Suella Braverman has issued legal advice that the UK could act because the EU’s implementation of the agreement was “disproportionate and unreasonable”.
UK ministers have said they could trigger Article 16 of the protocol – the power allowing either side to suspend some of the arrangements – while reports have suggested Ms Truss is readying a domestic law designed to suspend parts of the terms.
Mr Sefcovic warned his counterparts in London that the EU could not “renegotiate” a form of Brexit that Britain freely signed up to.
Speaking in Brussels, the senior bloc figure said: “The EU cannot solve all the problems created by Brexit and the type of Brexit that the UK chose.
“That is the reason why the EU’s position has been consistent: we will not renegotiate the protocol, and the EU is united in this position.
“Unilateral action, effectively disapplying the protocol, is not a solution for the way forward.”
He said the commission “stands ready” to carry on working for a joint solution to the frictions being caused by the accord, and urged the UK “to do the same”.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the UK pushing to use domestic legislation to overwrite the protocol was “deeply unhelpful” and had “ratcheted up tension”.
Unilateral action by the UK also risks provoking a row with the US, where President Joe Biden has made clear his concern over any measure that could undermine the Good Friday peace agreement.
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Probably 15 DCC official’s standing around and 1 DCC official actually working.
@gerard carey: And the worker is probably a Latvian or a Pole.
@gerard carey:
Info on DCC here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_City_Council
63 seats,
Sinn Féin 16
Fianna Fáil 9
Fine Gael 8
Labour Party 8
People Before Profit 5
Green Party 3
Anti-Austerity Alliance 1
United Left 1
Independent 12
“An emergency motion is being submitted to Dublin City Council today calling for the official recognition of Apollo House in Dublin.
Michael O’Brien is an Anti Austerity Alliance Councillor for Beaumont Donaghmede, and he wants the shelter approved.
Mr O’Brien said: “I’ve submitted an emergency motion commending the action of the activists and celebrities who have seized Appolo House and rendered it habitable for rough sleepers, and furthermore calling for the injunction to be lifted from the activists.”
@Linda Nolan:
That gives the economically right-wing parties (FF/FG/Lab/Greens) 28 seats v 23 for the non-Bankster parties.
Power, such as DCC has, is all down to how the 12 Independents break out……at least 9 of them would need to be Leftist in order to wrest control from the Bankster-friendly parties.
Probably the first real work they’ve done this year!!!
@Dessie Deratta: http://www.dublininquirer.com/2015/07/07/can-the-city-council-team-up-with-radical-housing-activists/
Have a read.
”
@Dessie Deratta: Ah you mean the Left Wing parties that voted the property tax to the minimum level when they are having issues raising the revenue to sustain a decent level of service for the homeless crisis?
This is all a publicity stunt by celebrities, a certain trade unionist and neck beards who otherwise would be stepping over homeless people on the street. You can’t just magic away homelessness at the snap of your fingers. There are many issues such as mental health and drug problems why many people choose to live on the streets. You need trained professionals and people with the experience to work with people to solve these problems.
This is all a political stunt because this offers absolutely no solution to the problem. It has been common knowledge that this building was due to be demolished so the entire circumstance is absolutely contrived.
@Old Gordon:
Let’s call the “Property” tax for what it is. A tax on people’s homes to help pay off the banker’s debts. And large portion of the Home tax was diverted to establish Irish Water and the water charges which of course is another tax to pay for the banker’s debts. Meanwhile the government fights tooth and nail to ensure that Apple does not have to pay its €19 billion in dodged taxes and interest. We have an illusion of democracy only.
Lol, the red thumbs appear, clearly without reading the link:
“Three weeks ago, a group of homelessness organisations spearheaded by An Spreach, a left-wing organisation that advocates “direct action and civil disobedience” as a means of highlighting and tackling the current housing crisis, took possession of an abandoned Dublin City Council building on Bolton Street.
Since then, they’ve been fixing the place up, getting it ready for its intended purpose: housing homeless families in need of emergency accommodation. In fact, this is what it was previously used for until Dublin City Council closed it down three years ago.”
This group did the very same thing as the Apollo activists last July.
And that action is being red thumbed lol……..
The homeless epidemic is de facto government policy. Ireland has all of the real resources, land, building materials, skilled labour etc. to provide everyone with a decent and affordable home. This is an entirely realistic and achievable objective but to do so would restrain the profit gouging parasites. Instead our establishment political class encourages the parasites.
This is why we see NAMA presiding over a vast firesale of land and property assets at knockdown prices to the international vultures (many masquerading as charities to dodge tax) while a domestic homeless epidemic rages and hundreds of thousands of families are crushed under spiraling rents and mortgage debt. It’s a feeding frenzy for the speculative sharks and the blood in the water as ever is that of the working class.
The housing crisis is the result of 30+ years of government policy where the state moved away from the provision of social housing. Instead successive governments of all hues have followed neo liberal market dogma and allowed the private sector to largely determine where, when and in what quantities homes will be built. What we are experiencing now is the catastrophic failure of the “free” market to meet the housing needs of the people
We can now see the disastrous results when housing is treated as a profit center for the rentier elite and assorted vested interests in banking, law, auctioneering etc. As long as this continues, we will suffer as a society as demonstrated in the property bubble, inevitable crash, family home evictions, and the current soaring rack rents and homelessness crisis. This is no surprise however as the market’s sole objective is profit accumulation and so exploitation and misery is inevitable.
There would be no scarcity of accommodation in Ireland if the government would play it’s proper role in ensuring the people had access to decent and affordable housing both rented and bought.
This would require modifying the taxation and legal systems to encourage owner occupier home purchase and strongly discourage property speculation.
In parallel the state needs to construct 100k of social and affordable housing and fundamentally reform the private rental sector with an immediate rent freeze and progressive rent reductions to affordable levels, banning economic evictions and ensuring security of tenure.
@Linda Nolan:
I read the link and did not Red Thumb your comment.
@Old Gordon: Read the link I posted.
While I agree that the action has shot the issue into the mainstream rattling the cagein Leinster House it’s not because of the lack of effort by other groups, actions that the members of the DCC actually supported.
Only when high profile people get involved, do the Irish react and that says a lot about us. This isn’t a new issue.
@Benjy Dempsey: Thank you Benjy, that group haven’t gotten a mention, which I find quite sad to be honest because they have been around for a while and have also done great work trying to bring this very issue to the forefront.
@Linda Nolan:
Hundreds of thousands of people boycotted the water charges (banker tax) without being encouraged to do so by celebrities.
@Linda Nolan: It looks like the left holds sway in DCC – Perhaps a change of stance is about to happen
@Linda Nolan: I don’t know if you understand how the Council works. They now have an unelected manager (have done for years on all councils) who has the power to veto and override the decisions of our elected representatives. This was seen in both the bin tax and the water tax. Our democratic rights were stolen from us a long time ago and people did nothing about it and that is why are Councils now act against the interests of the citizens it is supposed to work for. It would not matter to them that they make a mockery of democracy.
@gerard carey: Probably some masked thugs, the same ones who turn up to evict people from their homes.
The authorities have to crush this people’s movement as soon as possible. People can’t be seen succeeding where the authorities do nothing.
Corporate welfare is all that matters in this neo-liberal utopia.
@Benjy Dempsey:
Because that affected hundreds of thousands of people Benjy, Homelessness isn’t a new problem, now it’s the “in” problem.
But homelessness is a symptom of wider problems, drug addiction, the lack of funding in run down areas, lack of jobs, cuts in education.
Yet anytime we hear of plans to tackle these problems, for example, needle sharing medical centers – who gets in the way?
When we hear of plans to corner off sections of new developments for social housing? Who objects?
Homelessness as a problem will never be resolved as long as the public don’t support the other side of the problem, the part that isn’t nice and fluffy and that doesn’t make the news.
@gerard carey: ARE THEY ON OVER TIME TOO
@Frankie you’re right there, County councillors have very limited powers, it’s the actual civil servant council staff at the top that have the teeth.
@Frankie Mangan: Sorry, but I don’t think you understand how it works.
The head of the council is the Lord Mayer – the head of administration is Owen Keegan.
Executive power is shared between them.
They have the power to overrule, for example the Government proposal to cut SH funding by 50% as was shown here:
http://maryfitzpatrick.ie/?p=1713
Posted by MARYFITZ on MAY 12, 2014
12th May 2014: Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick put forward an emergency motion to Dublin City Council on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Group to reject the proposed cut to capital funding of almost 50% for council housing in Dublin City in 2015 and 2016. The motion was passed unanimously.
Cllr Fitzpatrick said “I put this emergency motion forward to Dublin City Council in response to the Government’s plan to cut capital funding for council housing by almost 50% in budget 2015 and budget 2016”. Cllr Fitzpatrick continued “With increases in those joining the housing list, rents rising and in the absence of a housing strategy this move by Minister Jan O’Sullivan, were it to go ahead, would drive people directly in to homelessness. Quite simply, there will be nowhere else for those without homes to go. There are 20,000 applicants on Dublin City Council’s housing list today, to put plans in place to cut council housing by almost 50% for the next two years is beyond reckless”.
“As a result of this motion, Dublin City Council will now call on Minister Jan O’Sullivan to meet with elected representatives of Dublin City to present her rationale behind this savage cut to funding and to deliver her plans for dealing with the growing housing crisis in Dublin” said Cllr Fitzpatrick.
Now Benjy posted that Michael O’Brien has lodged a similar motion, let us watch and see what happens with the power that they have.
@Linda Nolan:
The water charges (banker tax) and the homeless crisis are both symptoms of the same problem. That is the exploitative capitalist system which prioritizes the pursuit of profit over all other concerns.
This global problem won’t be resolved until the working class unites and organizes to dismantle capitalism and replaces it with a democratic system to manage our resources to meet the needs of humanity, including of course the need for a home.
Capitalism is going one way or the other as it’s internal contradictions make it unsustainable. The question is what’s going to replace it. Socialism or a descent into totalitarianism, the genesis of which we see with Trump and the rise of the far right across Europe.
@Linda : The office of Lord Mayor is largely symbolic and its responsibilities consist of chairing meetings of the City Council (Councillors) and representing the city at public events. Apart from a few reserved functions, which are exercised by the City Council as a whole, executive power is exercised by the Chief executive, a Council official appointed by the Public Appointments Service (formerly by the Local Appointments Commission).
So just to be clear, when a group takes action and does something to alleviate some of the homeless situation DCC are able to get a team together, willing to take action, within days to throw them out. Where has this “Wonder Team” been hiding their powers for the past 10 years or so, they could have single handily solved the housing crisis…
socialists against property tax. is this an irish joke?
The far right and far left are identical. stalin/hitler. same outcome. The gulags or concentration camp.
@Patrick Gough:
Indeed, the parallels between Joe Higgins and Adolf Hitler could not be clearer. I’m only trotting after you when it comes to the jokes.
You bet they will not miss there Christmas Party at the tax payers expense Shame on ye
We’re ready to go in
FFS,it’s Apollo not Aleppo
@Peter Hargan:
DCCs version of foreplay..before they screw the homeless..
@Peter Hargan: Denis O’ Brien must be made return all the expropriated property money and powerful investment revenue potential he has accumulated at the expense of the nation and people of Ireland. Furthermore, he should if he is in possession of a smidgeon of dignity remove himself from the precincts of Irish society.
Expelling the vulture funder’s from Ireland, from the world. Goldman Sachs, and the big American business cabals who have taken over the world’s property market on behalf of societies central bank controllers ” The Rothschild’s” is a prerequisite for our people to resume in the face of unnecessary adversity our ancient pride our natural generosity, compassion, and dignity.
What has happened at Apollo house this week has been likened to what has been happening at standing rock with North Dakota Access Pipeline Global Solidarity Campaign USA for sometime, now and the success of the campaign is remarkable when you consider the extent to which fear and dread and hate, attach to the oil conglomerates for the first Americans; they are the first and original cause for the seizure, misappropriation and theft of land from the American Indians. The bonus for the Natives is the Veterans have come on board and American society reveres its war veterans.
The people of Ireland are starting to take control of their destiny, removing it from the greasy clawing hands of American, European and British business vipers. The momentum for this must not be lost.
Apollo House is just the beginning. ” First we take Dublin, Then its London town. After that, the house of Rothchild deck of cards comes crashing down.
Sure why would Simon Convey be there to see the people or ask how they are.. It’s not like he’s the minister for housing, planning and local government or anything…. Oh wait….
@Dubabroad: Minister washes his hands while DCC does as it told.
Magnificent solidarity and generosity to be seen on the Home Sweet Home Go Fund Me page. This one especially caught my eye:
€700 Lee Walsh7 hours ago
I can’t make it home this Christmas, so I’d like you to have the money I had for my plane ticket. Wishing you all the best and thank you for your dedication and hard work. Happy Christmas
Conor Mc ( Benjy ) What have you been doing to help homeless people lately? Donations, volunteering, tea/coffee & hot food? As just using this dire situation for political mug slinging?
@Roibeard O Beachain:
This is a humanitarian issue with huge public support. The government are being held to account for their failure to do anything about this while on the other hand they rush through legislation that suits their friends in high places. They deserve the bollicking they are getting right now. They deserve to be shamed.
Mickey Noonan/Father Jack
Why have you been laying out the red carpet for the vulture funds (masquerading as charities to avoid tax) to snap up vast portfolios of property at firesale prices while the homeless epidemic rages?
“New figures show that officials in the Department of Finance met with private equity vulture firms 65 times in 2013 and 2014. Mr Noonan attended eight of these meetings”
@Benjy Dempsey: thank you very much for that, posting the link.
It triggered quite a few donations. It falls on ordinary citizens to hel just causes whilst the government looks after the privileged few.
Whay are they on about “ready to go in” & “haven’t met the people”. Firstly if they are homeless they should be monitored and assisted by the council meaning the council should know them. Secondly what does ready to go in actually mean? Home sweet home have 100 volunteers they don’t need council workers who should be spending their time acquiring social housing rather than ridiculing activists temporary housing.
So you would like to leave all this in the hands of a charity and let the government and local authorities off the hook for yet another year?
@Neal, not Neil.: “the government and local authorities off the hook for yet another year?”
They don’t care. I thought this would have been obvious at this stage, but obviously not.
I loterally already said what they should be doing “acquiring social housing”. A poll house is professionally run they don’t need council workers with clip boards trying to look busy we need council workers (3rd time lucky) “Acquiring social housing”!
What if some or all of those 40 folks hadn’t come to the attention of DCC before this?
DCC homeless services visiting Apollo House right now makes perfect sense “to assess needs” of the Apollo 40 who may not be aware of services available and their entitlements under their current plight.
Home Sweet Home can’t take care of these unfortunates indefinitely, but they can move on with their excellent activitism and find any others out there who may have slipped between the cracks unaware of caring elements within society – official and unofficial – ready, willing and able to offer assistance.
High profile celebrities like Glen and friends have, during the last week, proven what’s possible using People Power.
@Neal, not Neil.:
The state has been abdicating its responsibilities to the charity sector for generations. It’s the neoliberal way. This strategy also allows the state to replace previous entitlements with discretionary charity which can be revoked at any time.
And of course the existence of the huge charity sector is itself an indictment of the capitalist system and it’s compliant governments which fail to meet the most basic needs of large sections of the population in even the most developed countries like Ireland..
@Benjy Dempsey: you are right. Housing should not be dependent on mere charity. Housing is a social responsibility.
It is interesting that DCC admits that it does not have the resources because it admits that it has to use the services if a charity, the McVerry Trust, to perform the task that it wants to set itself.
DCC is doing what it has been instructed by the Government to do. It wants to do the Givernment’s dirty work for it.
To be fair those charities receive millions in funding from the government
@Rory J Leonard: if the DCC does not already know about these homeless people, then DCC is unfit for purpose and is criminally derelict in its duties.
The fact that DCC wants to use the services of a charity to do the task that DCC is trying to take on says everything.
@Theunpopularpopulist:
Paying off the charity sector to play the role of the state is still not acceptable. It absolves the state of it’s responsibilities and turns rights into discretionary gifts.
@Theunpopularpopulist: actually the funding is from taxpayers compensating for Government supporting the private sector.
Apparently DCC’s definition of a ‘bed’ can be a mat thrown on the ground in one of their facilities. More spin going on here than a merry-go-round.
On the bright side, Bono will be around on Christmas eve to sort it all out after is blessing of the masses on Grafton Street!
What a cynical ploy!
The DCC wants to go in but using an underserved and over burdened charity.
Will the DCC take full ownership,of the homelessness crisis in its area of responsibility. It has not done so in the past.
I don’t see the DCC going around the city at night helping the homeless in the public doorways.
I detect a political stroke at play.
Magnificent solidarity and generosity to be seen on the Home Sweet Home Go Fund Me page. This one especially caught my eye:
€700 Lee Walsh7 hours ago
“I can’t make it home this Christmas, so I’d like you to have the money I had for my plane ticket. Wishing you all the best and thank you for your dedication and hard work. Happy Christmas”
@Benjy Dempsey: thank you very much Benjy. It is easy donation. The cumulative effect does real good.
Seems like he’s chomping at the bit there.. Christmas will be ruined if he can’t get those people back on the streets before his break.
@Rob Cahill: that’s exactly the impression I got as well.
It’s surprising how quickly officialdom can act when it wants to.
They have no right to go in . Thats those peoples homes for now . Not one of those wasters checked by when they were sleeping on the streets
@Jimmy Carter: The receivers have a right to go in. They also have a legal responsibility to look after the building. If occupiers aren’t willing to share with people who are actually entitled to be there they should leave.
@JFN: this is about the DCC, not the Receivers.
So property owners who’s buildings get squatted in, have no right to go in? Remember that when you go on holiday next time.
@Congress Tart: a court order is the method.
Of course, if a property is properly secured it won’t be squatted in.
@Congress Tart:
Classic rationalization of the sacredness of “property rights”!
Make those struggling to maintain a family home imagine they have the same interest in defending unconscionable privilege as the 1%…….
@Jimmy Carter: the occupiers, Home Sweet Home had no right to go in either, and committed and act of Trespass, and by accounts of modifications to the property, criminal damage – and that’s before we talk about interfering with the electrical supply.
We have the rule of law which applies to everyone, not an á la Carte version of it where you pick & choose which bits you like to.
@Micheal OLainn: “if it’s properly secured”?? It was locked, you dope!
@Congress Tart: no, it was not locked and it was not a forcible entry according to An Garda Siochana.
It was an invitation to occupy.
@Congress Tart: I see you use your Twitter account to post abusive comments and self indulgent invective.
Posting from Southampton in England and living there, I see.
Sure why would a minister in charge of housing visit people desperate that they occupied a building to get off the street. It’s Ireland after all.
A spokesperson for the Housing Department confirmed to TheJournal.ie that Minister Simon Coveney will not be attending Apollo House today, “and has no plans to do so in the future”.
Bet he visits those that make people homeless.
@LITTLEONE:
He doesn’t just visit them – his Party has created the homeless crisis in the past six years…..
Lads, he’s on his holliers!
The Deputy CEO of DCC is anxious to do the bidding of his political masters.
DCC suddenly discovers an interest in the homeless. Yeah, right.
So, the Minister and DCC want them out before Christmas!
Good – shows how embarrassing the Apollo must be for those who have presided over the growth of the housing crisis.
When vested interests like vulture funds can buy up large numbers of homes rent them out at unsustainable price and pay zero tax as they have been given charity status. Then its no surprise no new affordable homes or social homes are build as it not in the interest of government and its vulture bed friends. The last thing i remember the government doing anything was buying a small number fancy prefabs that cost more than a house. Then it all went quite when the cost came to light. If the government really wanted to build houses they would be there already. They don’t so there not.
Coveney’s refusal to visit is essentially Fine Gael spitting in the face of Ireland.,
It shows their utter contempt for Ireland.
Apollo House must remain occupied after January 11.
The FG / FF coalition deserve the appallingly negative international headlines that will be brought down on them when the police go in to chuck homeless people out on the street in January.
DCC “ready to go in”. They must think that they are the Army Rangers.
DCC want to be at the vanguard of the attack on those who oppose homelessness.
And in time for Christmas, DCC launches its Christmas initiative “Bash the Homeless”.
DCC opposes refuge for homeless.
Cutting through the spin here, there are 30-40 homeless people squatting in a substandard building that is due to be demolished. Social services have not been in to see them and have no understanding of mental health problems, alcoholism, resident safety or their existing facilities. The building is being run by a group of celebrity volunteers, not professionals.
Has anyone considered who’s looking after these people? What controls have been put in place to monitor potential drug users? Christ, has anyone even considered simple things like implementing smoking rules so there isn’t a fire? Hey, are there any children in there? Got your garda clearance sorted? We have rules in place in existing hostels for very good reasons. What about criminality? Are you going to be able to show someone the door if he starts stealing? Got a contingency plan for if someone gets violent? Do you even have someone experienced coordinating the whole thing?
Yes – ok, The government needs to put facilities in place, sort out housing and ensure homelessness is dealt with. I’m not going to argue with that. And yes, it’s great that people are being charitable at Christmas time. Good for you all, keep it up.
But scratch the surface and dozens of questions start raising their heads. Questions that need to be answered or you risk a tragedy. It’s not sexy, it’s won’t get you on the front page, it’s just a matter of boring procedure. This entire situation is risking a tragedy. Am I really the only one who sees it?
@Alan Marshall: Ah the concern for health and safety. None of that concern for them on the street though, is there?
I’ve never heard about concerns for health and safety for people sleeping in shop doorways.
@Alan Marshall: Unfortunately reason has been lost in the debate.
The whole circumstance has been contrived and executed by actors who generally have absolutely no comprehension of the homeless crisis. You can’t just magic away homelessness by putting people into run down office blocks without tackling the reasons for homelessness (drugs, mental health).
Despite the publicity, this situation is going to cause more damage than good as it seems the general jist of the comments here seems totally ignorant of the work that DCC and the Homeless Charities do for people. A few neck beards and a trade unionist aren’t going to solve the homeless crisis by letting people use abandoned buildings. It won’t be long before these people are stepping over junkies on their way to the next in vogue crisis.
Furthermore, the neck of SF and the AAA etc of claiming that DCC doesn’t have the funding. They voted to set the property tax at a bare minimum. People need to hold people to account.
@TTIP McGowan: Yes, you did. That’s why homeless hostels exist in the first place.
@Alan Marshall if you actually bothered to look into the information disseminated by Home Sweet Home you’d know that they’ve already answered pretty much all those questions. A quick one for ya, children are not allowed in.
“A spokesperson for the Housing Department confirmed to TheJournal.ie that Minister Simon Coveney will not be attending Apollo House today, “and has no plans to do so in the future”.”
So that son of a n Ansbacher account holder (Coveney’s Dad – High Coveney died from an ‘accident’ after being discovered with loads of loot ‘resting; in an offshore Ansbacher account in the Cayman islands – and Simon Coveney was handed the seat by Fine Gael) has no plans to visit Apollo House?
He needs to resign immediately,.
As the minister for housing he is not fit for purpose if he refuses to do his job.
‘a team on standby’
Thugs in balaclavas and high viz vests?
Great!….”city’s homelessness services are ready to enter Apollo”
Will they use the Riot Squad, Gardai Irish Water protector Squad!
Borrow an armoured car from the Army ram those gates, then force the aid for the homeless (ride of the valkyries playing from the sound system while they do it!)
Wow we can all rest easy!
You’re a little late to the party Mr. Kenny and your howling rings a little hollow because the fact that there are people in Apollo House is highlighting a failure on your part. Despite what you say, that concern you are feeling is because someone else is doing your job for you and if you were working in the private sector, you’d be getting your coat now.
Why don’t you go down there and learn from what you see. I believe the term is “an in-service day”. You might also start making plans for how you are going to deal with them on Jan 9th. For now, according to the law, they are housed.
“we’re ready to go in!”
So, they managed to get the hi-vis vests on the right way around then.
So if they hadn’t of taken over apollo house then these people would of got a bed some where?cause the 40 people he doesn’t seem to know anything about them so safe to say if they hadn’t of done this they would of been left to rot as unsual by dcc and their government mates and it says it all that a building had to be taken over by people to help the homeless befor they start doing anything and if then it will just be lip service
The Petet McVerry Trust can do the assessment and report back to the council
the council is an agent of government and therefore should be denied access.
As the homeless humanitarian crisis is the FG/FF coalition’s official policy it simply cannot be trusted.
DCC and the rest of you should be ashamed of your self’s, leave them alone, if you were doing your jobs right we wouldn’t have this crisis
I tend to differ — I work in the homeless services myself and over the past 5 weeks we have had 30 ensuite bed lying empty.
Left work last evening and only 3 rooms have been occupied.
Why ? Because there are rules – fair rules- no drugs, no alcohol, in by a certain hour for the safety of all using the service. Fact is that doesn’t suit many of them hence they choose to remain on the streets
@ISSA: Thank you for your work. It’s seemingly thankless based on the ignorance on display here.
Go see the people in the emergency beds coveney set up first,the accommodation doesn’t look so good, with mattresses on a floor.
@@mdmak33:
Did Simon Coveney ever personally benefit or receive cash from the loot resting in his Dad Hugh Coveney’s offshore Ansbacher account?
Has the money ‘resting’ in Hugh Coveney’s Ansbacher account been donated to charity?
From the pictures I saw I wouldn’t even call those mattresses mdmak33, yoga mats is all they were.. Apollo House looks far more comfortable in my opinion!
Has a team on standby jesus wept talk about drama, next journal Article, Dublin city council have a crack team on 24hr a day stand by to replace Street lights
Sounds like a hostage situation.
If you can, let’s get down there when they need us. If 1000s show up they won’t be able to forcefully evict. I say this because their is nowhere to go for these families. There is still no meaningful action being taken by government to stop this crisis.
@TTIP McGowan: Families? I was under the impression children weren’t allowed? You’re just trying to manipulate people’s emotions by implying children are going to be kicked out.
@TTIP McGowan: There are homeless shelters with empty beds for them to go to, which they refuse. The only crisis is an entitlement crisis, there are beds available for every homeless person in the country who doesn’t have a substance abuse issue and who isn’t insistent on a particular location.
They’re probably not even homeless people in there. I bet it’s the Black Lives Matter/Save Moore Street/Occupy Dame Street/Anything worth protesting about crowd.
@alpha_chaarlie: need a new tinfoil hat?
@Brendan McGill: Need a sense of humour?
Same lads who were putting in the water meters? Must be..
“Were ready to go in”
Well before you do, can you tell us how much money the housing executive earn and if they have any rental property?
I feel a conflict of interests coming on.
Savages. They seem set on turfing these ppl out for Xmas into substandard accommodation even tho they have a leave to stay until mid Jan. Just for Christ sakes treat these ppl with dignity and allow them to spend Xmas comfortably without stress or worry. They’ve probably had their most restful sleep in ages. Can’t believe the hostility and lack of empathy shown by officials towards ppl in need. Bullies
And a very Happy Christmas to you Brendan Kenny you miserable git, any relation to our esteemed transparent leader? Invisible I meant…
Lets be clear about this. Hmmm Coveney background is as far from homelesness as Trump is to be cananonized.
A member of the oldest yacht club in the world (RCYC in Crosshaven). Grew up with a silver spoon in his gob, private school to university to travelling around the world to politics (and yes folks he never had a real job) Ah yes he was on a jaunt around the world when his father died…and into the manor born shoes of this political father.
Has been doing a highly paid apprenticeship with FG for the leadership since. There is emphathy and sympathy, none of which Mr Coveney can relate to in any fashon. He NEVER had a day where he was hungry due to the lack of resources. Expect nothing from this pampered neo-lib…the poor to heaved over the side.
@Murus Gallicus:
Don’t forget his Dad’s Ansbacher offshore Cayman Island’s account.
Simon Coveney is not fit for purpose as minister for housing and must resign immediately.
That fact that he is a TD because of nepotism means that he needs to retire from politics at the next election.
music isn’t he a td because people voted for him.
@Patrick Gough: he was able to buy votes.
Ah well isnt it nice of Coveney et al to suddenly care about the homeless!! when they take over one of his paymasters (many) buildings hehehehe
Stay there for 12 years lads and you will own the place.
“Ready to go in” gas, who the hell do these people think they are, Seal Team 6 or something, they have until the 11th of January, so leave them in peace over the xmas.
‘Were ready to go on’ ‘We’ve Peter Mc Verry Trust ready to go’ Ohhh so DCC isnt ready, you mean Peter Mc Verry Trust is ready to go such is the reliance on charities in this country to provide most of the social aspects in this country be it homelessness, suicide, rape, drug assistance. Charities.
We the people of
nine million people lost their homes in the usa lthis year walmart have opened their carparks at night to allow the people living in their campervans to stay overnight [i know the 9 ml is a very small per centage of the total population
Can people not see the agenda here is nothing to do with homelessness.
It’s just a chance for Brendan ogle to get media coverage.
No one has seen a homeless person go in or out?
None of the staff are trained to deal with the complex issues of some people in homelessness
The various organisations that deal with this issue are not involved
This crap of people tagging themselves in Facebook to say they are in Apollo house is a sad indictment of society. If you care, volunteer, give money to a shelter.
Homelessness is NOT about taking over a very substandard building(I was in it before it shut) with no facilities with a few Irish musicians doing a sing song outside, and people on Facebook.
It’s strange how quickly they can get their fingers out organising some type of response when it suits them whereas doing anything effective for the homeless eludes them.
Sure sure DCC, these beds would have been there alright even IF these people had not taken action. As with EVERY aspect of “government” in this country, far too little, FAR too late
have your say