LAST UPDATE | 8 Jul
MINISTER FOR INTEGRATION Roderic O’Gorman today would not say if he plans on engaging with Waterways Ireland on a path forward to the ongoing situation at Dublin’s Grand Canal.
On Saturday morning, the bodies of two men in their forties were recovered from the canal near the Charlemont luas stop close to Ranelagh.
It’s understood that both men had been living in tents pitched on a narrow stretch of grass along the canal opposite the tents of asylum seekers.
One of the men used the services of The Light House Homeless Service, which provides food, clothes and a range of other supports to homeless people and asylum seekers.
He previously slept in a tent at Sandy Mount beach but decided to live in the city centre.
Aubrey McCarthy, chair of the Light House, told The Journal that the man married his partner last year and that “things were changing for the better”.
“He had his own challenges but was working through them,” said McCarthy.
“He was warm, funny, a good guy, but just ended up in adverse circumstances.”
McCarthy added that he understands the two deaths to have been a tragic accident.
“My heart goes out to their families, because this is awful and distressing,” said McCarthy.
“It’s a sad day for Dublin, and it’s a sad day for The Light House team.”
In recent months, over 2km of fencing has been erected along the canal by Waterways Ireland to prevent the rising number of unaccommodated asylum seekers pitching tents along the canal.
It emerged last week that Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman, who has responsibility for providing shelter to asylum seekers, has had no contact with Waterways Ireland on the matter.
Waterways Ireland CEO John McDonagh said last week that barricades will continue to be erected along the canal if more tents are pitched.
His comments came just days after Taoiseach Simon Harris said the barriers are expected to be removed in the coming weeks.
When asked by The Journal today if he plans to engage with Waterways Ireland on the use of barriers along the canal, O’Gorman said these sort of issues are discussed within the operational committee that exists and includes his Department and Waterways Ireland.
He said this was the appropriate place for his Department officials to have such discussions.
This committee, which was set up earlier this year in response to the growing number of unaccommodated asylum seekers, is made up of representatives from the Department of Integration, the Department of Housing, the HSE, Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána and Waterways Ireland.
O’Gorman said today that the death of the two men at the weekend was an “absolute tragedy” and a reminder that more needs to be done to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.
“We’ve worked closely with a range of state agencies in terms of the response to international protection applicants who have been rough sleeping in recent times,” he said.
O’Gorman said many of the day-to-day operational issues “including discussions about the use of barriers” are handled by the operational committee.
“Those day-to-day issues are discussed within that particular operational committee and I think that’s the appropriate place in which officials who are working on the ground are able to identify what are the best responses in each areas to enhance safety, but also to ensure that as quickly as possible, my departments can offer accommodation,” he said.
He added: “Since I introduced the comprehensive accommodation strategy in late March over 1,000 people, many of whom hadn’t had accommodation previously, have been given that accommodation.”
The latest figures from the Department of Integration show that 2,300 international protection applicants are unaccommodated in the state.
To date, the cost of removing tents in Dublin has come to over €125,000. Some €45,000 has been spent on the barriers since May.
Waterways Ireland said last week that 330 tents have been removed from the canal to date.
With reporting from Christina Finn and Diarmuid Pepper
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