Council critical of ‘celebrity’ coverage of homelessness and Apollo House

Irish people are ‘suckers’ for celebrity endorsements, says the chief executive of Dublin City Council who has queried why the local authority’s efforts in tackling homelessness has not received the same coverage as the sit-in at Apollo House.

Owen Keegan made the comments as he aired his concerns over the conditions in the Nama-owned office block that has been taken over by the Home Sweet Home campaign group.

“I think Irish people are a sucker for a celebrity endorsement and there’s been a huge element of that,” Mr Keegan told the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk.

“I mean it is interesting that we opened, in the two weeks before Apollo House, three purpose-built refurbished hostels and they didn’t get a fraction of the publicity. I have no doubt the celebrity endorsement is an issue there,” he said.

His comments came as the Home Sweet Home group called on Housing Minister Simon Coveney to clarify the status of empty beds in Dublin’s hostels. The minister said 54 beds were empty in the city on one night last week. Campaigners questioned if the figure included floor mats in the tally.