AN ELECTION campaign poster for the Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy, has been removed from the site where a homeless man sustained 'life-changing injuries' after his tent was removed by an industrial vehicle while he was still inside it.
It's understood that the man's tent was being moved "in an attempt to tidy the canal walkway" by Dublin City Council and Waterways Ireland, who didn't realise a person was sleeping inside as they began to remove it.
The man was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital, where he underwent surgery for 'life-changing' injuries.
Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy, who is currently seeking re-election, said he was "saddened to hear of the incident by the canal yesterday".
"My thoughts are with this poor man as he recovers in hospital," he said, adding that he had demanded a full report into the incident.
Mr Murphy went on to say that his election poster had been removed from the location where the incident occurred.
I was saddened to hear of the incident by the canal yesterday. My thoughts are with this poor man as he recovers in hospital. I’ve demanded a full report in to the incident which is under Garda investigation. My campaign poster which was located at the scene has been removed.
— Eoghan Murphy (@MurphyEoghan) January 15, 2020
Many had commented on the fact that an election poster for the Housing Minister had overlooked the scene where one of over 10,000 people currently homeless in Ireland was left seriously injured.
A statement from Dublin City Council said that the tent was chosen to be removed as it had been "placed in a precarious and dangerous location". A photograph sent into Joe Duffy's Liveline ,alleging to be the location of where the man was injured, can be seen below.
This is the photograph @rteliveline received. It is clearly the location where a homeless man has suffered life changing injuries as his tent was removed by state authorities #ge2020 pic.twitter.com/m2K4icomRg
— JOE DUFFY (@joeliveline) January 16, 2020
DCC went on to say that The Dublin Regional Homeless Executive was liaising with St Vincent's Hospital, and had been in contact with the man affected for some time. They added that "accommodation remains available to him" and that their "thoughts are with the man at this time".
Statement in relation to the incident on the Grand Canal. pic.twitter.com/YA0AL3DANT
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) January 15, 2020
Cllr Anthony Flynn (Independent), who is CEO of Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) spoke to JOE.ie yesterday and said that the man affected had "his own complex needs and issues where he didn't want to access hostel accommodation".
"People now feel safer sleeping on the streets in tents than they do in hostel-style facilites," he said.
