The death of two homeless people at the Grand Canal in Dublin City is due to “State policy” that has created unsafe conditions, according to a volunteer. 

Two men in their 40s were found dead near the Charlemont Luas stop yesterday morning. 

Gardaí have said the two men were homeless Irish nationals camping opposite a makeshift refugee camp. 

Social Rights Ireland volunteer Róisín McAleer, who provides tents and supplies to homeless people, said the deaths are an indictment of Irish society. 

“The situation is only going to get worse,” she said. 

“The State policy that has created this situation for two men who have lost their lives but also for all of the people who are homeless on the streets and homeless in emergency accommodation.” 

The number of people in emergency accommodation surpassed 14,000 for the first time ever in April - including over 4,000 children. 

Deaths on Grand Canal

Ms McAleer said successive Governments have allowed the situation to deteriorate to this point. 

“It’s 20 years, 30 years, in the making where people have become homeless and have been made homeless,” she said. 

“No human being would ever allow their fellow human being to be left on the street in the first place, never mind being subject to the abuse, the stigma, the shame of living in a tent.” 

According to a report released in January by the Health Research Board, 121 homeless people died in 2020. 

Half of the men who died were 42 or younger, while the homeless women who died were aged 36.5 or younger. 

Over half of the deaths happened in Dublin. 

Gardaí are continuing to investigate the deaths of the two men. 

Emergency services arrived at Charlemont Bridge shortly after 8am yesterday after getting calls about a body in the water. 

The bodies of two men, aged in their 40s, were recovered shortly after and pronounced dead at the scene. 

Gardaí say the results of a post-mortem and local enquiries will determine their line of enquiry.