'Trips and falls' were inevitable at migrant camp beside 'deceptively dangerous' Grand Canal

The health and safety evaluation by Waterways Ireland found there were “no washing or toilet facilities' at the encampment. File photo: Niall Carson/PA

A health and safety assessment of an encampment of asylum seekers along Dublin’s Grand Canal said “slips, trips, and falls” were inevitable beside deceptively dangerous water and that “tightly packed” tents, some with containers full of urine, could cause an outbreak of disease.

The safety evaluation said the number of tents could not even be counted accurately due to the “sheer volume” of them and the use of large tarpaulin sheets as cover from the elements.

The assessment by Waterways Ireland said that canals can be “deceptively dangerous” with deep water, thick sediment and steep slopes. It said there were ropes criss-crossing each other from tents as well as make-shift washing lines, all of which created a hazard for occupants and members of the public.

The file said: “Slips, trips and falls are inevitable and should a person or persons end up in the canal serious injury or a fatality may occur.” 

Waterways Ireland warned as well of a public health risk and said that while volunteers were helping occupants with rubbish bins, there were “no washing or toilet facilities”.

The assessment said: 

A number of containers have been noticed and seem to contain urine. A strong odour was also prevalent on site particularly at the lock structures.

“With tents packed in so tightly and given the lack of welfare facilities the risk exists of a potential outbreak of disease.” 

The health and safety evaluation acknowledged that there had been no signs of damage to the canal infrastructure, including lock gates or jetties for berthing barges. It said the only choice was to move those staying there to accommodation sites and “to clean and sanitise, and to secure the area”.

An operational plan for the removal of tents said gardaí would “take control of [the] area via barriers” at 5.30am on May 9. Contractors and Waterways Ireland staff would arrive 45 minutes later while a safety boat would be launched on the canal in case of an emergency.

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At 7am, the occupants were to be approached individually according to the plan. It said: “Each occupant of a tent will receive a note explaining who the [public body] staff are, the reason that the staff are there and the offer of accommodation.

“[International Protection Accommodation Services] staff will instruct the residents of the tent to take their belongings and go directly to one of the buses.”  The file added: “An Garda Síochána to be present and visible but not involved unless necessary and called upon.” 

It said in the case of illness, persons who were considered too sick to travel would either be taken to hospital or, if well enough, to the medical team at the Citywest accommodation centre.

Fencing

Asked about the records, a spokeswoman said: “Waterways Ireland is committed to fully re-opening all sections of the Grand Canal where temporary fencing has been erected.

“Having to erect barriers along the canal is not something we had ever envisaged. 

"We acknowledge that the current fencing situation along a stretch of the canal is not ideal, but it is necessary to mitigate risk to health and safety which is our overriding concern.”