Housing campaigners from the 'Home Sweet Home' group have occupied a NAMA controlled building in Dublin City centre in order to use the empty development to house the homeless.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD commended the campaigners and said it is an indication of the extent of the homelessness crisis that activists have been pushed to occupy a building that's been lying idle for six years in order to provide some form of refuge for those forced to sleep on our streets.

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Mr Adams said: "The activists I spoke to explained that the action was taken to ensure dignity for people left vulnerable and unsupported by government, as a result of the lack of political will to address the homelessness crisis, that's getting worse by the day.

"I commend their action and wish them well in their efforts in trying to do something practical to address the homelessness crisis."

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD said: "The Uplift petition is calling for the government to finally end homelessness and give it the same level of priority shown to bailing out the banks. This means an end to rough sleeping, an end to people living long term in emergency accommodation and an end to social housing waiting lists."

(CD/LM)