No Canal Bank To Go To

at

Homeless people’s tents along the Royal Canal and an eviction notice served on a homeless person in August

Stephen McDermott, of Dublin Live, reports:

Residents in Drumcondra have called for the removal of a number of tents along the Royal Canal, claiming the rough sleepers who are living in them are intimidating locals.

“And Dublin Live can exclusively reveal that Waterways Ireland has already asked those living in the tents to leave the area, as gardai continue to work on a plan to deal with the issue.”

And in relation to a residents meeting on November 7 about the matter…

Fine Gael councillor for Dublin City Ray McAdam, who also attended the meeting, said that locals felt the site was becoming a “semi-permanent encampment”.

Mr McAdam added: “There would be a level of concern that the residents feel intimidation. Of course, everybody’s level of intimidation is different, but there’s an anxiousness about the potential for further anti-social behaviour.

“I’ve also heard that people who live there have seen an increase in behaviour, where ‘undesireables’ – to use the word of locals – are publicly drunk and inebriated, and the consequence of that is that it’s attracting similar activities into the area.

“My view is that there is a public order issue here and that the Gardai need to act.”

Gardai to implement policing plan as Royal Canal locals seek removal of homeless tents (Stephen McDermott, Dublin Live)

Related: For homeless in tents, living with the threat of eviction (Dublin Inquirer)

Meanwhile…

Pics: Asgard 1916 Society, Dublin (Facebook)

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33 thoughts on “No Canal Bank To Go To

  1. Mysteron

    “Gardai to implement policing plan”

    As in, Gardai might have to do their job as opposed to going on a snack box run?

  2. Helga.

    They should be allowed stay. Sweet Jesus, their lives are bad enough without being kicked around. Nobody minds them being there (apart from a few Hyancith Buckets).

    1. Joe

      or families with kids who might see one of them drunk off their head or out of it on drugs while out for a walk along the public amenity.

      1. Rich Expat

        Exactly. If these people knew how to behave then there would be a place in society for them.
        Why do they some say they prefer the streets than the homeless shelters? Because of other homeless people.

    2. Cian

      They should be given somewhere to live – not just “allowed to stay”.

      Unfortunately Waterways Ireland are caught in an unenviable position. They are the guardians of the land adjacent to the canals. If someone[1] were to squat on a parcel of land for a number of years that person could subsequently claim “squatters rights” and get permanent ownership of that strip. Imagine the outcry against them if that happened: “O!M!G! another Quango just giving away land owned by the People Of Ireland. It’s a disgrace, Joe.” WI need to guard against that.

      [1] I’m not suggesting that these homeless are going to so this – but it is an issue for WI to guard against.

        1. Cian

          um. I’m sorry Know1, but I have no idea what you’re trying to say:
          “There are loads of people died by just that in waterways property already, moron”

          1. Know1

            Doing just that – that is living illegally on water ways property

            Waterways by statute are supposed to provide a lockkeeper for every lock and that person is supposed to be on call to open the lock and in return is given a free house.

            How often do you think that happens – is that clear enough for your little pea brain?

          2. Cian

            Thanks for the clarification.
            Just so I’m clear, you’re saying that loads of homeless people have died while living illegally on waterways Ireland lands?
            Can you tell me how many is “loads”? What time period have these deaths occurred? And perhaps link to two or three newsreports?

            You then talk about the lack of IW lockkeepers. What is the relevance to homelessness, evictions and/or deaths?
            Thanks

  3. talklessworkmoreok

    Fact: It is essential to be out of your head off your face pissed to handle being homeless.
    Fact: The homeless provide good soundbite opportunities for local FG politicians

  4. Mysterybeat

    Ray McAdam, the blow-in nouveau riche and the rest of the moaning miseries who complain about ‘undesirables’ can flupp the flying flupp right off.
    If I were homeless I’d be out of my head with anything that would help me get through the endless misery.
    If people want to see endemic drunkenness and drug taking in Drumcondra, many need not leave their or their neighbours homes.
    Save your clucking for your local empty-promises politician, not the poor unfortunate with nowhere else to go.

  5. eric cartman

    Theres 1 junkie down there living in a tent with his dog, who sells heroin. A lot of the others are users who buy from this individual. I have reported it multiple times and nothing has been done.

    Rough sleepers are mostly drug addicts who cause criminality and antisocial behaviour, they should be moved on.

      1. eric cartman

        supervised detox centres in rural Ireland away from heroin dealers. Staying in Dublin City is doing no favours to heroin addicts.

        1. Twunt

          Several years ago lots of junkies were moved out of Dublin for some clean country living. Everyone agreed that a new environment was what they needed, nobody considered that they might bring their heroin with them. The locals are beside themselves with joy.

        2. gerry

          Heroin dealers will go where the users are or criminals in rural ireland will sell more heroin – supply and demand. Drugs are not a urban only problem. Also Heroin addicts are people not objects that can be picked up and moved to wherever you think they should be.

  6. The Dude

    Is that the same Councillor Ray McAdam who in the summer 2016 indicated that Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station would be re-open by Christmas 2016?

    Do your job McAdam and other local representatives – get Fitzgibbon Street reopen as is badly overdue.

    Please do not blame security issues in the area on homeless people when it is directly the failure of you and the other elected representatives to ensure the area is properly policed.

    ‘Disgusting’ seems an appropriate word on a number of levels.

    1. Observer

      Mountjoy Garda station is less than 300 metres from this encampment.

      Fitzgibbon Garda Station is a mile away, so opening or closing it won’t make much odds to the policing of the Canal.

      I live nearby this encampment. It isn’t a hippy commune. That stretch of the Canal is now given over to drinking, drug use and dogs. I don’t feel safe walking along there anymore and that is what plenty of my neighbours report as well.

      Maybe we are nimbys but I fail to see why the North Inner City needs to always have to be stuck with issues like this. Let them camp in RTE’s grounds in Dublin 4.

  7. Pluto

    The councillor in question and his actions / comments – fpping disgusting.

    How about moving in on the slum conditions in areas around D1 and enforcing landlords to reduce rent and make slum flats actually habitable for humans?

    No – it’s too easy to kick destitute people sleeping in tents because they have absolutely nowhere else to go and they don’t have the means or resources to kick back.

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