The relocation operation comes just a week after efforts to remove a large number of tents from Mount Street, where asylum seekers had been living for monthsAsylum seekers board the bus at 7:30 am
Asylum seekers had set up as many as a hundred tents there in recent days, a short walk from the nearby International Protection Office.
The operation comes just a week after attempts to remove a large number of tents from Mount Street, where asylum seekers had been living for months.
Barriers have been erected around the canal area this morning, in a similar manner to the Mount Street operation last week. .
In a markedly faster operation than last week, teams of people collected the tents and cleared the area, while a large number of asylum seekers boarded buses at 7.30am.
A number of stakeholders are involved in this operation.
A statement from the government confirmed that an operation is now underway between the Departments of Integration and Justice, An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council, HSE and Waterways Ireland to relocate the asylum seekers.
A government spokesperson said: “The aim of the operation is to ensure the safe movement of people seeking international protection from tents on the Grand Canal to International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) designated accommodation.
“The IPAS designated accommodation has toilets and showers; healthcare; indoor areas where food is provided; facilities to charge phones and personal devices; access to transport to and from Dublin city center; and 24-hour security on site.”
The second move in a week comes after the Irish Independent reported that asylum seekers in Dublin were being offered an additional daily allowance to leave their tents and find private accommodation.
The offer to pay the additional fee was made with the added incentive that those who accept it will be provided with tent-free accommodation once the capacity shortage is over.
However, it was described as “pathetic” by Labor TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.
It is understood a notice has been posted in the offices of the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS), where it can be viewed by asylum seekers.
A photo of the message, seen by the Irish Independent, shows that IPAS is experiencing a shortage of accommodation capacity and cannot accommodate all applicants. It goes on to state that “some residents of IPAS tent accommodation have indicated that they would prefer to receive a higher weekly allowance totaling €113.80”.
There is an apparent inference that these people would leave the system.
The message read: “Every [applicant] who wish to voluntarily leave IPAS tent accommodation during the current accommodation capacity shortage are eligible for an increase in the Daily Expense Allowance (DEA) of €75 per week, bringing the total payment to €113.80 per week.
“Once the capacity shortage is over, a new accommodation offer will be made to those who take advantage of this opportunity. This offer does not apply to tent accommodation, but to standard accommodation.”
An email address linked to the Department for Equality and Inclusion appeared at the end of the notice. Those wishing to inquire about the offer are asked to use the term “DEA offer” in their subject line.
Commenting on the post yesterday, Mr Ó Ríordáin said it appeared the government was “trying to buy people off”.
He said, “Is this the approach? Is this the answer? It's absolutely pathetic. Once again it sounds like a department that has absolutely no idea how to tackle this problem in the long term.
“Giving people a few cents so they don't add anything to the statistics. It's disgusting. Anyone who looks at it realizes it's firefighting. It's not coherent and it's not going to work.”