Barriers have been erected around the area of the tented encampment along the Grand Canal in Dublin where over 100 tents have been pitched in recent days by International Protection Applicants.
Several coaches were also lined up along Mount Street this morning, close to the nearby International Protection Office.
A statement from the Government confirmed that an operation by the Departments of Integration and Justice, An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council, HSE and Waterways Ireland is under way remove the tents and to relocate asylum seekers.
A Government spokesperson said: “The purpose of the operation is to ensure the safe movement of people seeking international protection from the tents on the Grand Canal to International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)-designated accommodation.
“The IPAS-designated accommodation has toilets and showers; health services; indoor areas where food is provided; facilities to charge phones and personal devices; access to transport to and from Dublin City Centre; and 24-hour onsite security.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris told a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party last night that action will be taken soon to address the issue of tents being set up alongside the canal in the city centre.
The location is less than 400 metres from the International Protection Office on Mount Street, where around 100 tents were removed last week.
The number of tents on both sides of the Grand Canal has been rising steadily since they were first set up between Mount Street Bridge and Huband Bridge on Friday evening.
Mr Harris said the moving of tents from Mount Street last week averted a public health emergency and it was a “good action”.
Almost 300 unaccommodated asylum seekers who had been living in the tents on Mount Street were offered alternative accommodation last week in Citywest and Crooksling in Dublin.
However, figures released yesterday show that there are currently 1,764 International Protection Applicants without State-provided shelter.
That is 54 more people than Tuesday, according to the Department of Integration.
The Department usually only publishes figures on Tuesdays and Fridays but unexpectedly updated the figures yesterday.
