Tent encampment and apartment residents – squalor in Dublin city centre

Sir, – Amid all the coverage of the plight of asylum seekers living in tents around Mount Street in Dublin, there has been an almost complete lack of discussion about the effects of this encampment on the residents of the area. While we are obviously sympathetic to the plight of asylum seekers, and support the provision of a more stable situation, the current policy of turning a blind eye to the residents most affected by the crisis is not a solution. As residents of Madison Court, Grattan Hall and Grattan Court East, we have experienced our neighbourhood, and our living conditions, deteriorate drastically over the last couple of months. Our buildings are encircled by tents to the extent that people on the ground floor cannot put their hand outside their window without touching a tent. Litter, food waste, piles of rubbish, sleeping bags and discarded tents are constantly blown around our street and into our doorways. People urinate at our gate as we enter our building and the noise means that we cannot open our windows and, even then, many residents cannot sleep at night because of the noise. We have been met with silence when we have contacted the authorities for assistance. Gardaí in the area say they have been told to do nothing about it. Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman’s office is uncontactable: emails are unanswered and his office “does not take calls”. Dublin City Council say it is nothing to do with it, as does the International Protection Office.

It is shocking that we appear to have no rights or recourse in this situation and that the law is not being enforced. The brief respite we experienced when Crooksling in Co Wicklow opened is over, and the tents have returned. It appears that the authorities are going to allow the same squalor to develop again. Can anyone set up tents wherever they wish? What happens to the residents and businesses of this neighbourhood? – Yours, etc,

GRÁINNE HYNES,

FERGUS McCARTHY,