The decision was taken for “health and safety reasons.”
Dublin City Council has shut down a civil society-led attempt to provide clothes for the homeless this winter.
The #WarmForWinter project had seen dozens of people hang coats on Ha’penny Bridge in Dublin city centre for those in need to take, free of charge.
However, a video circulated online over the weekend of people removing the jackets and coats. In a tweet issued on Saturday night, Dublin City Council confirmed that they would be removing any clothes left on the bridge.
The tweet read: “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 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
Social media users were quick to point out that giving the clothes to charity shops would mean those in need would have to pay for them, thus entirely defeating the purpose.
Ireland currently has a homeless population of at least 10,514 — most of whom are based in Dublin.
The decision comes during a week when Dublin City Council was already under fire for their approval of a €22million investment in a white water rafting centre at George’s Dock.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
