Government did not request 'unsightly' fencing to prevent tents on Dublin's Grand Canal
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The decision to install fencing on the banks of Grand Canal to prevent tents was taken solely by Waterways Ireland, the Public Accounts Committee has heard.
Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland John McDonagh told TDs there were no requests made by either the Department of Integration or minister Roderic O’Gorman’s office to install the fencing.
He said the organisation took the decision in early May, shortly before the first tent clearance took place.
“There were two reasons for the fencing. The first was around health and safety and public health and the second one was around securing our property,” Mr McDonagh said.
Under questioning by PAC chair Brian Stanley, Mr McDonagh confirmed the fencing had since been extended up to 2km further down the banks of the Grand Canal.
Asked if Waterways Ireland would be willing to further extend the fencing by another 4km or 5km if tents continue to move up, Mr McDonagh said: “If that happens, we will.
“The first tent removal we were involved in was in and around May 9 and after about three-four major tent removals, which ran throughout the month of May, it became clear that we needed to find a solution that actually stopped tents moving from one location to another,” he said.
Cork East TD James O’Connor asked if there had been contact with charities which have provided tents to asylum seekers.
Operations manager Éanna Rowe confirmed it did ask charities not to provide tents to asylum seekers.
“Yes we did. We asked them not to camp on our property,” Mr Rowe said.
“Our primary concern is health and safety. The canal banks are not appropriate sites for tented encampment.”
Mr Rowe referred to a picture sent by Waterways Ireland to the committee, which showed the tents by “deep lock structures”.
“The picture that we sent through, that the chair referenced, shows exactly how dangerous these tented encampments were on the banks of our canals,” he said.
Questioned further on the contacts Waterways Ireland had with Government officials, Mr McDonagh said Waterways Ireland had “reached out to other agencies” as it wanted to establish a multi-agency plan.
“I’ve had no contact with Minister O’Gorman or any of his officials in his department,” Mr Rowe told Mr O’Connor.
Mr O’Connor asked if there had been any work carried out for a medium-term plan, with Mr McDonagh accepting the current situation was “unsightly”.
“We see it as a very unsightly, short-term solution. We accept the fact that, aesthetically, its not what it should be. We accept the fact that for an amenity, recreational space, it doesn’t look great,” Mr McDonagh said.
The committee heard there had been four options put on the table, including:
- A full removal of fencing and allowing free access to the canal;
- Removal of fencing, but with 24 hour patrols to prevent new tents appearing;
- Keeping the fencing until the situation is resolved;
- Accelerating existing plans to landscape parts of the Grand Canal and remove the fencing while this work is ongoing.
Mr Rowe said more than 330 tents had been removed from the canal in the last five weeks.