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Waterways Ireland confirm they have received over 106 informal complaints around the fencing along the canal
It was confirmed today that Waterways Ireland have received five formal complaints and 106 informal complaints about the ongoing situation at Dublin’s Grand Canal.
Topics of the complaints include: Notifying Waterways Ireland of the presence of tents, requesting the removal of tents, reporting the presence of fencing, requesting removal of fencing, reporting damage to the barriers, concerns about loss of amenity value and queries about the schedule for removal and replacement of the barriers with other solutions.
A spokesperson for Waterways Ireland said that they provide “regular updates” on their website as further information becomes available.
“Waterways Ireland works to the same standard as all public bodies, endeavouring to provide a response to all correspondence as soon as possible, and within 20 working days,” they said.
“Waterways Ireland acknowledges that the current fencing situation along a stretch of the canal is not ideal, but it is necessary to mitigate risk to health and safety, which is our over-riding concern.
“Having to erect temporary fencing along the canal is not something we had ever envisaged, and we are committed to fully re-opening all sections of the Grand Canal as soon as possible.
“We have met with representatives from local communities along the canal to listen to their concerns and to discuss how the canal amenity can be fully reopened, without compromising health and safety, or public health.
“Waterways Ireland is exploring a number of options to achieve a full reopening of the canal amenity, including the acceleration of a landscaping and biodiversity programme of works for the areas in question.
“This plan has been jointly formulated by Waterways Ireland and Dublin City Council. This process, including public procurement, will take some time – we hope that works will begin on the ground in October; if it is possible to start the works any sooner, we will.
“Waterways Ireland is currently maintaining fencing at a cost of circa €30,000 per week.”
A new protest will be held today against the fencing which is being organised by The Take Back Our Spaces Coalition.
It includes Dublin branches of the Communities Action Tenants Union (CATU), People Before Profit Dublin and Social Rights Ireland and the demonstration will be held outside the Department of Integration on Baggot Street at 1pm.
The campaigners have named the protest as Home Not Fences, demanding the Government provide adequate accommodation for International Protectional Applicants, not barriers.
Announcing the protest, a spokesperson for the coalition wrote: “The past months have seen collusion among state bodies to harass, exclude, and otherwise make life harder for our homeless neighbours on the Grand Canal.
“This has been executed as a deliberate campaign of gardaí destroying the makeshift homes people are having to live in, and Waterways Ireland installing hostile architecture in the form of fencing to exclude everyone from enjoying the public space of the canal.
“But the root cause of why people are having to live in tents in the first place is the housing crisis created by successive government policies, and by the Department of Integration shamefully failing in its obligation to house those most in need of protection,” they added.
