Swift action on tent cities points to the Dublin elites looking out for themselves

As a resident of Rosslare Harbour, I’m observing with interest the events in Dublin 2.

Last week, the tents occupied by international protection applicants outside the International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) office in Mount Street were taken away. Their occupants were moved to alternative accommodation in south Dublin.

This week, 160 tents erected on the banks of the Grand Canal – 350 metres from Mount Street – were moved in what was described as a multi-agency operation.

Personnel from Dublin City Council , Waterways Ireland, An Garda Síochána and other bodies completed the move in little more than an hour.

And, as in Mount Street, steel barricades were erected to prevent further “shanty towns” springing up.

The canal encampment occupants have been moved to locations in Crooksling, the former Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum and unspecified locations in Co Wicklow. It’s a step forward, as at least those seeking asylum here will now have sanitary and medical facilities available.

A representative of the South Georgian Core spoke of chaos being brought to the streets of the capital due to the broken asylum system. “It has to end,” he clearly stated. But an uncomfortable question again arises. Are the even-number Dublin postcodes sharing a fair part in sheltering those fleeing invasion and persecution?

I live happily adjacent to an Ipas facility here in Rosslare Harbour Village. We also have another former hotel dedicated to Ipas use as well as a hotel dedicated to sheltering citizens from Ukraine.

Overall, we have over 300 people in such circumstances living among us. This compares with the total Ipas figure of 274 in the entire Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown administrative area.

There is currently a peaceful protest in Rosslare Harbour because a facility being constructed as a nursing home was earmarked to house another 160 Ipas applicants.

I do not support this protest, but given that the buildings in Dublin 4 and Dublin 2 – formerly a hotel and hospital – remain empty, what conclusions can be drawn?

Can it really be the case that in 2024 the old political maxims still apply – that there is still an elite with power and influence who consider themselves apart and are supported in this by the decision-makers?

It looks like that to me.

Larry Dunne Rosslare Harbour, Co Wexford