Home Sweet Home homelessness activists 'overwhelmed' with volunteer support

A group of activists occupying a Nama-owned building in Dublin to provide accommodation for the homeless, say they are willing to meet with the state agency.

Apollo House on Tara Street in Dublin city centre was taken over by a group of "concerned citizens" on Thursday night.

Lawyers for Nama, which owns the building, have ordered them to leave.

The "Home Sweet Home" group say they've received huge support from the public.

Rosi Leonard from the Irish Housing Network, said the number of homeless using the facility is growing each night, with around 20 availing of the service last night.

"This is where they've been sleeping and congregating. It's amazing; it's really, really positive," she said.

"The public support has been overwhelming. We received 800 volunteer applications over the past few days.

"A woman got on a train from Galway just to come here and drop off two bags of duvets and then got back on the train to Galway.

"People are touched by this because they're fed up. Buildings like this are really creating a spark."

At the Apollo House occupation. With Francis Black Eoin O'Broin Pearse Doherty pic.twitter.com/casbavm9lH

— Councillor Larry O'Toole (@larryotoolebohs) December 17, 2016

We are all good for food for today and tomorrow. If any other soup kitchens need food drop by Apollo House. Thank you all. #HomeSweetHome

— HomeSweetHome (@HSHIreland) December 16, 2016

A general view of Apollo House, a vacant office block in Dublin city centre.