Homeless group brands removal of tents in Phoenix Park for Joe Biden visit 'an absolute disgrace'

Phoenix Park will be closed to the public from 5pm on Wednesday until 5pm on Thursday with members of the public being asked to “heed the advice and instructions” of gardaí. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

The removal of several occupied tents at Phoenix Park ahead of US president Joe Biden’s planned visit to the area on Thursday has been labelled as a “shameful act”.

The tents, which were removed on Sunday, were occupied by at least six people until now and have been in the area for three months. It comes ahead of Mr Biden's expected visit to Áras an Uachtaráin in the Phoenix Park on Thursday. 

He is expected to meet with President Michael D Higgins before going on to deliver an address to the Oireachtas at Leinster House. Phoenix Park will be closed to the public from 5pm on Wednesday until 5pm on Thursday with members of the public being asked to “heed the advice and instructions” of gardaí.

Streetlink Homeless Support CEO Padraig Drummond said the removal is "an absolute disgrace" and was either done for security purposes or because the tents were an “eyesore” ahead of Mr Biden’s visit.

“In my engagement with them, they’ve never had any trouble with the Gardaí or the council requesting them to move on until Saturday,” he said. Mr Drummond said the first tent was pitched approximately three months ago with other tents coming along “as the months went on”.

“We’ve engaged with them on a number of occasions but they’re very independent people, they look after themselves."

US President Joe Biden delivers his keynote speech at Ulster University in Belfast, during his visit to the island of Ireland. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

A Garda spokesperson said statutory agencies had been engaging with those living there for a number of weeks and noted that three had previously voluntarily left the area at the end of last week.

“The remaining persons removed their own belongings and tents and were further provided with advice and contact information for support agencies and accommodation services and left the area,” the spokesperson said.

Gardaí were not involved in the removal or tearing down of tents, but Dublin City Council staff also attended the scene and removed waste left behind. A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said the site was inspected earlier on Wednesday and noted that there were no rough sleepers present.

“The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) and the Dublin Regional Outreach Service will continue to monitor this area, to provide support and offer emergency accommodation to Rough Sleepers looking for assistance,” they said.

One of the people previously living in one of the tents at this location secured a Housing First tenancy in the Fingal administrative area in the last number of weeks, the spokesperson said.

“The DRHE offers assistance to rough sleepers, including the rough sleepers at the aforementioned site, through the provision of emergency accommodation, through the Housing First programme which offers permanent homes and the Dublin Region Outreach Service,” they said.

Sealed bins

Meanwhile, the council has said that at the request of gardaí, it has covered and sealed bins in the city centre and along the US president’s designated travel route. The bins are likely to remain sealed and covered until Friday.

"Members of the public are kindly asked to dispose of their waste at the next available bin outside these designated security areas, to prevent a proliferation of litter on our city's streets and pavements around these security locations at this important time," said a statement.

Earlier, Mr Biden delivered a keynote address at Ulster University in Belfast where he expressed hopes of a return to powersharing in Northern Ireland as he insisted stable devolved government could deliver an economic windfall for the North.