From top: The spot where a man was seriously injured when a tent he was sleeping in was removed by an ‘industrial vehicle’; Taoiseach Leo Varadkar launching Fine Gael’s election campaign at CombiLift in Monaghan today
Earlier today.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other members of Fine Gael launched the party’s general election campaign at CombiLift in Monaghan.
During the launch, Mr Varadkar was asked by reporters about the homeless man who suffered ‘life-changing injuries’ when the tent in which he was sleeping was removed by Dublin City Council/Dublin Regional Homeless Executive and Waterways Ireland near Leeson Street Bridge, along the Grand Canal yesterday at lunchtime.
An “industrial vehicle” was reportedly being used to remove the man’s tent.
Mr Varadkar initially said he was “loathe” to comment on individual cases “until we know all the facts” before he called on Dublin’s Lord Mayor and city councillor Paul McAuliffe to make a statement.
He said Mr McAuliffe is “politically responsible for the council”.
Mr McAuliffe is also a general election candidate in Dublin North West where Fine Gael’s Noel Rock is hoping to retain his seat.
Mr Varadkar told journalists:
“My understanding is that the city council and Waterways Ireland did check the tents before moving them but obviously something went wrong here.
“So I think it’s important that, you know, the city council and, you know, the Lord Mayor, whose politically responsible for the city council, should make a statement, and Waterways Ireland too.
“But the most important thing is that we wish him a speedy recovery.
“He is known to homeless services, has been offered accommodation in the past, will be offered accommodation in the future.
“We’ll do everything we can to reduce rough sleeping.
“I remember when we took over the housing department about three-and-a-half years ago, there were over 160 people sleeping rough on our streets in Dublin, that’s now down around 92.”
Meanwhile…
We @joeliveline were sent this pic of the poor man’s home who is suffering life changing injuries after the tent he was sleeping in was removed from the banks of the Grand Canal by an industrial vehicle. Lar Kelly warned #liveline last December that tents were being cleared pic.twitter.com/6yXn3Sfvfi
— Liveline (@rteliveline) January 15, 2020
Meanwhile…
Sickened by the news that a tent with a homeless person still inside was “removed by an industrial vehicle” today in Dublin..The man is suffering “life changing injuries”!
Seeing the poster of our Housing Minister hanging over the scene is like a sick joke.. pic.twitter.com/UXXfoQYOd8— Jim Sheridan (@Jim_Sheridan) January 15, 2020
UPDATE:
I was saddened to hear of the incident by the canal yesterday. My thoughts are with this poor man as he recovers in hospital. I’ve demanded a full report in to the incident which is under Garda investigation. My campaign poster which was located at the scene has been removed.
— Eoghan Murphy TD (@MurphyEoghan) January 15, 2020
Earlier: At Leeson Street Bridge (Updated)
Pic: Andrew Lowth
Yeah, but what kind of accommodation?
Three bed semi
Crass electioneering by Taoiseach.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other members of Fine Gael launched the party’s general election campaign at CombiLift in Monaghan.
Yes. it is literally an election campaign.
Are you trying to be obtuse, Cian?
When asked to comment on the tragic incident Varadkar choose to finish with “I remember when we took over the housing department about three-and-a-half years ago, there were over 160 people sleeping rough on our streets in Dublin, that’s now down around 92.”
This is crass electioneering, he feels no shame.
It’s the only type of electioneering that he knows…
Crass and crafty, pulling the FF Mayor in to this one. The photo with Eoghan Murphy’s smiling mug over the bridge, where the tent was, is clearly worrying FG. Good.
Why are we in a position where the councils need to sweep the signs of homelessness out of our cities?
Disgusting using a homeless mans death to score political points
agreed but luckily he’s not dead
Dumps it over to the FF Mayor, lol.
Seriously though – were the tent-dwellers notified that their tent and belongings were going to be cleared by DCC & Waterways Ireland on this date at a given time? That would be giving the people reasonable due notice to vacate the area. And what was the criteria of checking before driving through with the JCB? A quick peek inside a tent is not sufficient in terms of health and safety.
Look it
If t’was a handbag left there they’d be out’ve the cab (or whatever in the thing) in no time to check what was inside it
Even a bag of cans would have got a closer look
Removed by industrial means
Like garbage
Sums up the mentality about these sub humans
Maybe cleared so election posters are not obscured
You’re not wrong
Pre Celtic Tiger
the only time the canals and their walkways, between Lower Mount Street Bridge and Donore Bridge, were cleaned was when there was an election
Ask Rory Quinn
The workers did not know that a person was in there, stop pretending that this is some metaphor for how the government treats the homeless. Millions and millions of public as well as charity money is put into homelessness every year.
“The workers did not know that a person was in there”
Why not Chris?
You’re right. It was asking them to go well beyond their duties to apply just a little bit of diligence and maybe check that the tents didn’t have people in them.
I bet a million quatloos it was a flabby hungover council lifer with a massive gut hanging over his snickers ,couldn’t be arsed climbing all the way down out of the JCB to only to have to bend over.. pheww… to zip open the tent door and check inside…(sweating profusely) and THEN…sorry …let me catch my breath…. to climb ALL the way back up into the J….C…..cough…B … Jesus the thoughts of it is exhausting. Ah look! if someone is in there they’ll hear me and wake up. That council worker is out now on paid stress leave no doubt. He’s sitting on his arse (even though he has legs unlike the guy he ran over) on the phone to the union to spin the situation in his favour. Big payouts all round. Our tax euros at work!!
Had so little regard for the person who pitched the tent that they didn’t bother checking.
I’d say Posh boys crew will be out to remove that poster sharpish.
Looks like Murphdog’s crew got to the poster. It’s receiving counseling and will redeployed shortly.
No sooner said than done.
Satire:
Opening chapter of Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
Reality:
Grand canal.