TWO HOMELESS men have tragically been found dead in Dublin City Centre.
One man, who was known to homeless services and who had been living in a hostel in the capital, was found dead in his emergency accommodation on Longford Street earlier today.
Hours later, a man who had been sleeping rough and living in a tent close to the Dáil was also discovered dead in the Leinster Lane area, according to Dublin Live.
Gardaí have launched an investigation, but are understood not to be looking for anyone else in relation to their passing, and their deaths are not being treated as suspicious.
The double tragedy comes after the CEO of Inner City Helping Homeless warned earlier this year that deaths among homeless people will 'skyrocket' in the coming months, with homeless services engaging with a record number of people each night.
Job losses and evictions due to the pandemic, as well as a lack of social distancing available in homeless hostels has led to more people taking to the streets and sleeping rough in tents, CEO Cllr Anthony Flynn said at the time.
Cllr Flynn announced the death of one man on Twitter today, writing "Another death in our streets this morning right outside the Dáil.
"May the young man RIP.
He added, "For as long as homeless services continue to refuse people who are not habitually from the area beds through a pandemic more people will die."
Speaking on the news that two men had died, he issued a statement saying it was "unacceptable", and that both deaths were preventable.
He called for an immediate investigation into the circumstances leading to their deaths, and said "refusing people beds because they have no habitual connection to the area is wrong."
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also released a statement on Twitter on the "heartbreaking news", where she wrote:
"A man living in a tent close to the Dail has died. He died in the tent he called home.
"It's 6 [years] since Jonathan Corry died across from the Dail. The scandal continues.
"Thoughts & prayers with the deceased, family & friends. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis."
See More: Dublin, Homelessness, RIP
