‘Criminal element’ makes ‘challenging’ housing situation more difficult, says homelessness chief

The director of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive has expressed concern about “the criminal element” spreading misinformation and making an already “challenging situation” over homeless accommodation even more difficult.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Mary Hayes said it was important not to forget the arson attack on a premises in Ringsend, Dublin, that had been intended as accommodation for 14 homeless families had been a criminal act.

It was important that people using the services of the executive were treated with dignity – they still had to go to work and their children had to go to school, she said, adding people did not always want it advertised that they were homeless and accessing services.

Ms Hayes said the executive had confirmed to some local politicians before Christmas the Ringsend premises was going to be used as accommodation for homeless families and had confirmed this to the media when asked.

[ Archbishop of Dublin warns of rampant ‘rhetoric of polarisation’ in wake of Ringsend arson attack ]

[ Homelessness chief defends communication strategy amid criticism following Ringsend arson attack ]

A Fine Gael councillor had previously said the attack might not have happened if there had been “clear communication” about the building’s planned use.

Consultation was not a veto, Ms Hayes said. “There is a fine line between communication and veto.” There had been “a mixed bag of responses” in the past when they communicated that a premises was going to be used for homeless accommodation, she added.

Ms Hayes said she was “very worried now”. The situation had been challenging for some time, and the escalation of such incidents by “a criminal element” was a great cause for concern, she said, adding it was important to separate criminal acts from concerns about the service.

The Ringsend fire broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Eve at the former Shipwright pub. The building had been at the centre of false rumours, spread by far-right campaigners, that it was to be used to house dozens of asylum seekers.

Gardaí confirmed the fire was the work of arsonists.

Elsewhere, a fire gutted much of a historic Galway hotel in December that was earmarked for asylum seeker accommodation.

Gardaí are treating the fire at the Ross Lake House Hotel in Rosscahill, near Oughterard, as arson and believe it was the work of a local person.

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