The trade union linked to the Home Sweet Home campaign has defended its failure to use a vacant building it owns to accommodate homeless people.

The UNITE union owns a building on Merrion Square in Dublin which has been lying empty for three years.

The union applied to Dublin City Council to exempt it from social housing use, and is trying to sell the property.

But UNITE believes it was legally obliged to do this as part of its planning application.

And Spokesperson Jimmy Kelly claims there’s no parallel between its property and Apollo House.

A statement released by Unite the Union about the premises at 15 Merrion Square says: “Unite is seeking to sell the former Amicus offices at 15 Merrion Square, which are in poor condition, with the benefit of planning permission for apartments.

“In so doing, our aim is to maximise the value of this property for our members throughout Ireland and ensure that we have the resources to support and defend them.

“Unite regards attempts to draw a parallel between 15 Merrion Square and Apollo House as, at best, disingenuous and, at worst, mischievous.

“As a NAMA property, Apollo House belongs to the people of Ireland.”