The installation of "anti-homeless devices" at a Department of Social Protection office in Dublin was carried out by the landlord and not the department, a spokeswoman has said.
The raised bars, installed along a wide ledge, the length of Gandon House on Amiens Street in the city centre, have been dubbed anti-homeless devices by campaigners who say they were put in place to deter people sleeping there.
Standing about 18in high and placed closely together their purpose is difficult to discern. It is clear however that a person would not be able to lie down there.
The Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) group, which brings food, tea, coffee, toiletries and clothes to people sleeping rough, says the ledge which is about 3ft wide, was a place people bed down for the night. They say, however, “small numbers” use it.
“It is ironic that business owners in places like Grafton Street and O’Connell Street, which have far higher numbers of people sleeping in their doors have not taken this anti-homeless step, but the a government department which bears at least some responsibility for people being homeless does this,” said ICHH founder Anthony Flynn.
Queries
A spokeswoman for the department said Gandon House was managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW). She said queries about any works carried out on it should be referred to the OPW.
An OPW spokeswoman said the building was rented from a private landlord and provided contact details for him. The landlord did not return calls on Tuesday.
Mr Flynn said it was “unlikely” any change to the front of a Government building would be carried out without “at least the knowledge” of the tenant.
“That’s all just an attempt to pass responsibility on to someone else. It’s quite a statement that this is being done at the office of the Department of Social Protection, which refuses to increase rent supplement, which is causing a lot of people to become homeless and sleep rough.”
Dublin city Cllr Michael O’Brien (Anti-Austerity Alliance) said he would seek a “ban” on such installations outside buildings. He said this incident showed “the cruel disregard for rough sleepers who seek a modicum of shelter from the rain”.
“It’s particularly ironic that Gandon House is occupied by the Department of Social Protection who have confused fighting homelessness with fighting the homeless.
“I will be enquiring with city council officials what, if any, planning permission is required for the installation of these type of devices and will try win support for a ban on their use through by-laws.
Mr Flynn called for the bars to be removed.
