Homeless charity hit out at council's reaction to homeless campaign on Ha'Penny bridge
A homeless charity has criticised Dublin City Council after its worker removed jackets from the Ha'Penny bridge in Dublin.
Inner City Helping Homeless reveled the coats were being used for the #warmforwinter campaign for the homeless, to help keep them warm on cold nights.
A video emerged on social media yesterday of the council worker taking the coats away.
Inner City Helping Homeless spokesperson Brian McLoughlin wants to know what happened to the jackets.
“The campaign captured the attention of people and highlighted the need for supports for people that are homeless.
"Bad weather would obviously have impact on the campaign but I have spoken to Paddy Fryers, who founded the #warmforwinter campaign, and he confirmed that no one from DCC has made any effort to contact him before removing them.”
Responding on their twitter account Dublin City Council said it would ask people not to hang clothes on the Ha’Penny Bridge ‘for health & safety reasons’.
The Council added that the hanging jackets ‘reduces pedestrian flows & causes congestion’ on the bridge.
“Please consider giving them to charity shops. Items collected by DCC will be redistributed via our homeless services.”
Dublin City Council asks people not to hang clothes on the Ha’Penny Bridge for health & safety reasons- it reduces pedestrian flows & causes congestion on bridge.Please consider giving them to charity shops.Items collected by DCC will be redistributed via our homeless services
— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) December 7, 2019
The move comes shortly after the council were criticised after claims on Joe Duffy's Liveline programme that council workers had removed tents and belongings to homeless people in the city without any warning or notice to those affected.
