Hell No, We Won't Go: Why Apollo House Occupiers Won't Leave Today
If you're following the Apollo House news coverage, you may know that today, January 11, is the date the courts demanded Home Sweet Home and the residents leave the vacant building. Well, that day has basically come and past, and it looks like they won't be budging.
An application to stay an extra week. lodged by the occupiers of the building, has been rejected by the High Court, with Mr Justice Paul Gilligan telling the court he "could not get involved in a dispute over the standard of alternative accommodation."
Ross Maguire SC for the occupants asked the court for a seven-day extension because no suitable alternative had become available, which was a promise from Housing Minister Simon Coveney when the initial January 11 vacate date was given. He said he would find suitable alternative accommodation but as of today, it had not been delivered.
To add salt to the wound, on Joe Duffy's Liveline on RTE this afternoon, Dublin City Councillor had a heated debate with Mattress Mick.
Mannix Flynn reckons Mattress Mick should house the homeless in the factory where he stores his mattresses as a solution to the occupation of Apollo House, reports Dublin Live.
"I'm saying that Mattress Mick has a factory, Mattress Mick has property and lawfully he can actually house them until this situation is resolved to satisfaction.
"You can easily ask businesses would they rent out a property. But to turn around and say Apollo House is the only safe place for the homeless is an absolute contempt again.
"Do you have a factory where you have your mattresses? Could you bed these people in there for the night?
"Do you have the resources where you'd be able to hire out a property?", asked Cr Flynn.
He also said Home Sweet Home has an "absolute cheek" to continue occupying Apollo House because surely [they] has an excess of €200,000.
Mattress Mick said in response, "Home Sweet Home are a very organised organisation. They know what they're doing. I believe it. They are trying to help.
"Absolutely, I know they are breaking the court order at the moment and everybody else knows that too. But I do believe it will be resolved. I do believe that this action will help to get this homeless situation resolved".
There's no word yet on when they'll be leaving but the matter is back in court tomorrow.