Another Dublin 'tent town' torn down from Grand Canal as 163 asylum seekers relocated to two sites on buses | 901UT3W | 2024-05-10 00:08:01
ANOTHER asylum seeker 'tent town' was torn down along the Grand Canal in the capital this morning.
Some 163 individuals were "safely moved" to International Protection Accommodation Service designated accommodation by crews at 7.30am.
The multi-agency operation involved workers clearing around 100 tents and marking them with an "X" when they were emptied.
A grab loader truck picked up each empty tent and added them to the pile.
Officials from the Departments of Integration and Justice, An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council, HSE and Waterways Ireland completed the removal by 7.45am.
Some 163 asylum seekers have now been safely moved to Crooksling and the former Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum .
Crooksling saw 148 individuals moved into the facility and 15 individuals were moved to Dundrum.
A Government spokesperson said: "Both sites have robust, weather-proof tents.
"They have toilets and showers; health services; indoor areas where food is provided; facilities to charge phones and personal devices; access to transport to and from Dublin City Centre; and 24-hour onsite security."
While accommodated at the sites in Crooksling and Dundrum, residents will receive the same supports as at other IPAS locations.
This includes access to medical care via the HSE social inclusion outreach teams and medical card provision.
It also includes IPAS customer services team clinics, onsite support from the provider's staff, and psycho-social and integration support from NGO partners.
The encampment at the Grand Canal has been dismantled and the area is being cleaned by Waterways Ireland.
Earlier this morning as the operation was underway, a Government spokesperson said: "A joint operation between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; the Department of Justice; An Garda Síochána; Dublin City Council; Waterways Ireland; and the HSE is underway on the Grand Canal, Dublin.
"The purpose of the operation is to ensure the safe movement of people seeking international protection from the tents on the Grand Canal to International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)-designated accommodation.
"The IPAS-designated accommodation has toilets and showers; health services; indoor areas where food is provided; facilities to charge phones and personal devices; access to transport to and from Dublin City Centre; and 24-hour onsite security."
It comes just days after officials removed about 100 tents on Mount Street and offered asylum seekers alternative accommodation in Citywest and Crooksling.
Asylum claimants moved into the area after their camp surrounding the International Protection Office was dismantled.
Some 1,764 International Protection Applicants are without State-provided shelter.
Social Democrats Jennifer Whitmore said yesterday: "What is happening in Dublin at the moment is bad for asylum seekers, bad for communities and bad for the city.
"Those forced to live on the streets have no access to the most basic facilities, such as sanitation or running water, and are constantly exposed to the risk of violence and intimidation.
"It now appears to be Government policy to move people from tents on one street to tents on another street.
"It is not acceptable that those seeking refuge in this country should be handed a note to say that no accommodation is available and the State cannot offer further supports.
"A failure to plan lies at the heart of this crisis, which has been escalating for almost a year."
She called for an "immediate audit of Ukrainian and IPAS accommodation" to find out how many vacant beds exist within the system, and where they are located.
Whitmore added: "It is disappointing that the Taoiseach today refused to allow Dáil statements on the immigration accommodation crisis.
"Not only does his Government not have a plan, he is not even prepared to facilitate a discussion on this crucial issue."
More >> https://ift.tt/TehpLZs Source: MAG NEWS