DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL’S Chief Executive Owen Keegan has suggested that “well-intended” homeless volunteers are sustaining people sleeping in tents on the streets of the capital. 

Speaking to Newstalk’s The Hard Shoulder today, Keegan was commenting on the perception that Dublin is unsafe after Irish Olympian Jack Woolley was assaulted in Dublin city centre on Friday night. 

Keegan told the programme that anti-social behaviour is a concern and said that the proliferation of tents in Dublin is adding to this. 

“There are other aspects, like the proliferation of tents – and I’ll get into trouble for saying this – but we don’t think people should be allowed sleep in tents when there’s an abundance of supervised accommodation in hostels.

“We’ve had up to 100/150 beds available every night for homeless people, and we would have thought that it’s not unreasonable that in those situations, if you’re homeless, you’d go into a professionally managed hostel.”

Keegan said there is “massive pressure” to allow people to camp on the street.

“And that adds to that perception of an edginess about the city”.

Asked about homeless people who may not feel safe staying in hostels he said: “I think being out on the street in a tent is objectively is much less safe than being in a professionally managed hostel.

“There is an issue that if you’re in a hostel, which is a congregated setting, there has to be some limits on your behaviour and some people find that very challenging.

“I still think you’re better off in there, where you can access services in a much safer environment than being out on the street.”

Keegan said that the Council’s policy of removing tents is “not very popular, but we do it because we don’t believe it’s appropriate.

“But there’s a whole industry out there about sustaining what we believe is a very unsafe and inferior form of accommodation for homeless people.

“There’s a whole lot of well-intended groups providing service and delivering services on the street.

“Our view is that people are better off accessing services in a controlled environment, where there is a full range of professional service,” he said. 

Speaking generally, Keegan said anti-social behaviour in Dublin city is a very legitimate concern.

“I think the Gardaí will probably say that, objectively, Dublin city is very safe in comparison with other city centres.

“It’s not just the frequency of media reports of lone individuals being attacked, but we’ve had evidence of groups of young people, congregating, drinking and causing a whole lot of low-level anti-social behaviour.

“So I think all that adds up and creates a perception that Dublin isn’t a family friendly place or friendly for women.

“And I think that’s something we have to be very concerned about.”

He adds: “It’s the perception that matters, and if people feel that it’s unsafe that’s enough”.

Keegan’s comments come after a Council-commissioned report last year found that additional on-street food services for homeless people “are not required” and has recommended that these services should be regulated. 

The review, drawn up by UCD’s School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice,  examined five statutory-funded day services for Dublin’s homeless population.

The review examined day services for homeless people pre-Covid and interviewed representatives from DRHE-funded services. Homeless people were not interviewed for the review nor were charitably-funded day services. 

According to the review, recent years have seen a “dramatic expansion” in on-street, voluntary food services which are unconnected to DRHE-funded day services like Capuchin Day Centre, Merchants Quay Ireland, Focus and Crosscare.

Service providers interviewed for the review said that an “excess provision” of food in Dublin is a result of an increase in soup runs and volunteers providing sandwiches.

They said that providing food at their day service was a “vital hook” to engage homeless people so that they are able to access additional, follow-on services, the review notes.