Tents on Dublin canal are cleared again as 89 refugees are offered accommodation

Another multi-agency operation to clear the banks of the Grand Canal of homeless asylum seekers is under way in Dublin.

Gardaí, staff from Waterways Ireland, the HSE and medics from the Safetynet charity are on-site on Tuesday where more than 100 tents had appeared in recent weeks.

Men received emails in the morning outlining offers of accommodation, including at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, Dublin, and advising them to take public transport.

Almost 90 people received offers of accommodation on Tuesday morning.

However, not all men who have been sheltering in the area have been offered accommodation, and were set to be moved on to find somewhere else to sleep rough.

About two dozen such men were gathered with belongings at the canal on Tuesday afternoon.

Volunteers were taking their names and advising them to pack their tents before they were removed by a truck with a grabber claw on site. Many of the men, from Afghanistan, Palestine, Eritrea and Nigeria, appeared tired and dejected.

In reply to queries, a Government spokeswoman said International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) continue to work towards ensuring the limited available bed space for international protection applicants is prioritised for those most in need, including those who are found to be rough sleeping.

“A number of beds became available in IPAS-designated accommodation in recent days which resulted in offers of accommodation being issued by email this morning to 89 international protection applicants awaiting accommodation. The offers of accommodation are being made across a number of IPAS-designated accommodation locations”.