McDonald's investigates Dublin woman's allegation of 'heartbreaking' treatment of homeless man

Update - 4.10pm, November 29, 2016: McDonald's have said they are investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for McDonald's said: "Following a post on social media concerning our O’Connell Street restaurant, we have reviewed CCTV footage and interviewed staff on duty to investigate the matter. We would like to clearly state that McDonald’s operates an inclusive policy of welcoming all customers into their restaurants, including members of the homeless community, and that at no stage were either of these customers asked to leave.

"As part of a routine clean in the store, our employees asked the customers to move to a different table whilst a section of the restaurant was closed off. This was met with an adverse reaction by the customers who then chose to leave the store."

Earlier: Alicia Gayson has published a post on Facebook describing her breakfast with a homeless man at McDonald’s on O’Connell Street, Dublin, writes Claire Anderson.

Alicia brought the man, James, for breakfast after he was allegedly beaten up as he slept outside the GPO.

“James was beaten up while he slept at the GPO last night, which probably explains the tears that were pouring down his face as he ate the breakfast I bought him,” she says in a Facebook post.

Alicia said she had to obtain permission from the security staff to bring James into the restaurant. He had informed her that he wasn’t normally allowed in. It is not currently clear as to why he is not allowed in.

McDonald’s have not yet responded to a request for comment.

After she had purchased food and drinks for both of them, Alicia says staff placed “caution – cleaning in progress signs” around the seats that contained the pair.

In her post she says: “In an almost empty restaurant, as if we had contaminated the area by our mere presence in your restaurant.”

She says James was then ejected from the restaurant and acknowledges it was not done forcibly.

“And the tears of humiliation and shame he cried outside your restaurant for being ejected from your premises made my heart sad and my spirit angry. Angry for the injustice in this world, angry for those kids who become homeless through no fault of their own.

“But the prevalent emotion I felt was embarrassment. Embarrassment that one of the largest franchise’ in this country, if not the world, could employ a policy that shames the rejected and dejected and makes them feel even more worthless than society in general does already.”

The number of homeless people in Dublin has increased by 35% in the last year, according to new figures.

New statistics from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive show there were 5,146 adults and children in emergency accommodation last month.

Focus Ireland says 67 families became newly homeless in the city in October.

You can read Alicia’s Facebook post in full here.