EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you the five news stories you need to know as you head home for the day. 

1. #HOMELESSNESS: Hundreds of people, including Apollo House activists and residents, have taken part in a march on the Department of Finance this afternoon, calling for Nama properties to be used as accommodation for homeless people.

2. #GONE BABY GONE: The UK’s ambassador to the European Union has unexpectedly resigned, just months before the Brexit negotiations were due to begin. Sir Ivan Rogers has not yet given a reason for his departure.

3. #BEDS: New figures show there are currently 612 patients on trolleys or on wards waiting for beds in hospitals across the country today, which the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says is a new record.

4. #VROOM VROOM: The number of new cars sold in Ireland in 2016 rose by almost 18% on the previous year, making it the best year for sales in almost a decade. More Toyotas were registered than any other car brand, followed by Hyundai, Volkswagen, Ford and Nissan.

5. #LILYWHITE: Kildare has been named Ireland’s cleanest town, ahead of Roscommon and Ashbourne, according to the Anti-Litter League by Irish Business Against Litter. Dublin’s north inner city, Farranree in Cork and Galvone in Limerick were all described as ‘seriously littered’ in the results.