Outside Gandon House this morning
Further to the erection of bars outside the Department of Social Protection in Gandon House, Dublin, where homeless people used to sleep…
Ciaran O’Rourke writes:
The Department of Social Protection is meant to be responsible for fighting homelessness, not making conditions even more unbearable for rough sleepers in Dublin city centre.
The recent installation of anti-homeless devices at the Department office building on Amiens street is an unacceptable measure, described in the following terms by the Director of Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) Anthony Flynn:
“[From] the department that is supposed to look after our vulnerable people…This the most unsympathetic way of dealing with the homeless crisis, it’s a ‘not in my doorstep attitude’ and we certainly condemn it.”
Accountability, however, has been lacking in the responses of both the Department of Social Protection and the Office of Public Works, which apparently manages the building in conjunction with a private landlord.
But it’s time for government to stop shirking responsibility. An Tánaiste Joan Burton is also Minister for Social Protection, and TD Simon Harris is Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works. Let’s call on them to take action against this appalling measure, and to advocate immediately for the removal of all anti-homeless devices from Gandon House.
Those who wish can sign a petition to remove the bars here
Previously: Invest In Spikes
Thanks Ciaran
Oh ffs…
These guys happily posing next to their sign to show how great the are.. Am sure they open up their own homes gach oiche
You’re right. The only reason people help others is to feel smug. They definitely think they’re better than you, Molloy. And, of course, nobody can complain about homelessness unless they let strangers sleep in their house.
Just look at them there. Looking very satisfied, no?
Yes, I can definitely tell they don’t really care about homelessness from a photo taken 30 feet away from their faces.
Moyest why are you defending people you don’t even know?….. Towing the line as per usual
Humanity maaaaaaaan ……. like let the homeless sleep where they like…. or whatever …….loike maaan …..
Harry Molloy was attacking people he doesn’t even know, Moyest was defending them WHERE WILL IT END?
AND IT’S TOEING THE LINE NOT TOWING
If only we had some sort of government department who had responsibility for this instead of relying on homeowners opening their doors to the homeless
Homeless shelters could certainly be better. Those lads hypocrisy probably couldn’t be worse. Vainglorious pointscoring.
I read somewhere that D/SP said it was to stop anti-social behaviour. Anyone familiar with that spot will be all too familiar with the gangs of drunken yobs who take over it for large parts of the day. Not convinced this is an anti-homeless measure. I’m sure the people who wait at that bus stop are relieved.
If it is anti homeless then its a gross error on behalf of the building. Not every building, but this particular building.
However, I don’t support their removal. Why spend money correcting an error to revert back to a bad situation of people sleeping there? Id prefer that money be spend on a solution, not a knee jerk reaction to one case of oversight (in many) by the government in homeless prevention.
these muppets should try getting the bus at that stop for a week, then they’d be raging about the scumbags there/law and order/ whatever.
Unreal…
What about all those buildings around the city built without an alcove / door shelter / window ledge area.
How could they do that to the homeless!!
They should have such built immediately!
‘The Department of Social Protection is meant to be responsible for fighting homelessness’
no it’s not. the local authorities are the organisations charged with the assessment and placement of homeless persons, together with the responsibility for moving them into accommodation appropriate to need.
There should be more of these anti homeless device’s around, nobody wants to see, smell or be intimidated by these rough sleepers, they should be rounded up every evening if caught sleeping on public property or in parks.
you obviously haven’t been looking closely at street furniture since the late 90’s; it’s all designed to deter rough sleeping.
Did this pique anyone else’s interest?
“the Department of Social Protection and the Office of Public Works, which apparently manages the building in conjunction with a private landlord.”
The Government is paying rent to a private landlord to house an entire department?
How long have they been paying this rent? And how much is it?
Would this landlord be related to anyone in govt?
It really isn’t unusual for any organisation to rent office space, especially in a capital city. And especially since the aul decentralisation was a non-runner.
But it is worth asking who the landlord is and whether he’s related to whoever agreed the rent.
The three main landlord’s for government building’s are Gay Byrne (8 bldgs), Peter Sutherland (5) and…..eer.. Denis O’Brien ( let’s say 3).
I am fücking outraged, etc.
What’s wrong wth where the two men are standing? Can’t people lie down and sleep there or is there a better view on the ledge?
I stood at this bus stop every evening for 4 years.The bars are there to stop people sitting there during the day.Huge problem with anti social behaviour at that stop.
So summing up for Broadsheet:
Proposal for homeless people sleep indoors in modular housing = BOOOO! Prefabs! Government disgrace!
Protest to allow homeless people to sleep outdoors = YES! Fully support! Joan Burton disgrace!
Ok.
Why don’t all of the outrage brigade set up a Facebook page with their addresses, letting the homeless know where they can sleep undisturbed??