Apollo House demolition reveals government priorities

Apollo House is set to be demolished after the go-ahead was given for a €50m development of the area.

An Bord Pleanala gave permission for the demolition of the building and the neighbouring Hawkins House, home to the Department of Health.

Apollo House’s Nama-appointed receivers, Mazars, will build an 11-story office block on the site.

The replacement of one office block with another in a time in which homes are desperately needed raises many questions about An Bord Pleanala’s long-term vision for Dublin.

Mazars is working in conjunction with the Office of Public Works, the government body that are custodians of Hawkins House, in a plan to build a new “office quarter”, along with shops, restaurants, a public plaza and a new pedestrian street.

But how can this kind of development be expected to thrive when the workers have nowhere to live?

Apollo House made headlines worldwide last December and January as an example of the power of direct action. The Home Sweet Home movement occupied the building on December 15, providing over 70 rough sleepers a home for Christmas and the New Year.

Dean Scurry of Home Sweet Home spoke to Hot Press at the time of the occupation about how the idea came about. "About five weeks ago, a homeless guy posted a private message on Facebook where he speculated about the idea," he told Peter McGoran.

"He said: 'Wouldn’t it be great to take one of these old buildings and occupy it?' Then an hour later I met that man in the park in Dublin by St. Patrick’s Cathedral and we spoke about it. I asked him, 'Are you sure you want to do this?' and his response was simply, 'What else can we do? Bury more people?'”

Over the next 28 days, the drab 60s office block became a centrepoint of national conversation as the occupation forced the government to address the issue.

An open-air gig featuring the likes of Glen Hansard, Hozier, Kodaline, Liam Ó Maonlaí and Christy Dignam drew huge public attention to the occupation too, informing the people that they didn’t have to wait around for the government to act - direct action is possible.

Over 4000 people signed up to volunteer, and donations of practical equipment flooded in - as well as just under €190,000 in cash.

In a dramatic few weeks, Home Sweet Home fought Mazars in court as the receivers sought to have them evicted, and won a small victory as Judge Paul Gilligan allowed them to stay until January 11.

Prior to the group’s eviction on January 12, Home Sweet Home negotiated with the Department of the Environment and Dublin City Council to provide additional all-day accommodation for the homeless in two separate hostels in Dublin.

Home Sweet Home then expressed doubts about the good faith of the government on their side of the deal after a former resident of Apollo House reported this experience in the new accommodation:

“No keys, no food, no washing machine, no wardrobe, people getting drunk injecting and smoking heroin in rooms, not possible to sleep due to music and shouting till 4am, phones getting robbed, vomit in the hallways, needles everywhere, atmosphere on the verge of explosion of violence, gang threatening to stomp another resident soon.”

This new development raises further questions about the government’s good faith. The occupation was a small, temporary victory in the fight against homelessness and the structure of Apollo House became a symbol of people power - and now it will fall, and for what? A couple of more soulless glass boxes?

That the OPW themselves are involved in this development shows a government so in thrall to the neoliberal markets that they are simply allergic to the notion of taking care of their own people.

The time to remind them of their responsibilities, their duty of care to the homeless population, may come again soon. “What else can we do? Bury more people?”