Dublin destroys its latest tent city as Ireland struggles to cope with migrant ... trends now
Irish authorities have dismantled another 'tent city' in Dublin as the country continues to face an influx of migrants, many of whom have arrived from the UK.
Asylum seekers had pitched more than 100 tents in a makeshift camp along Dublin's Grand Canal, a short walk from the International Protection Office, as the government struggles to provide them with accommodation.
Pictures show the early morning operation, which involved crews checking tents were empty before they were spray-painted with an 'X' and cleared onto a truck by a 'grabber' machine.
The encampment sprung up along the waterway just days after more than 200 asylum seekers were cleared from a similar makeshift camp on nearby Mount Street.
The removal comes amid an ongoing row with the UK government over asylum seekers crossing the border from Northern Ireland, with claims that they are doing so to avoid deportation to Rwanda.
Tents were spray-painted with an 'X' before being cleared onto a truck by a 'grabber' machine
Men living in the tents were seen leaving the area ahead of the removal operation this morning
Gardai were seen searching the area ahead of the removal as the road was closed to traffic
A large number of asylum seekers reportedly boarded buses by 7.30am this morning
The Irish Government said Thursday morning's operation involved the Irish police service, Dublin City Council, the national health service, the Department of Integration and a waterway authority.
It was conducted more quickly than the previous operation last week, which removed people who had been living in the roadside camp for months.
A large number of asylum seekers reportedly boarded buses by 7.30am today, with the operation wrapped up by 7.45am.
The Irish government said that all asylum seekers were moved to accommodation in County Dublin, with a total of 186 applicants accommodated in the suburb of Citywest, and 99 at Crooksling, an hour from the city centre in the Dublin mountains.
A statement from the Government said: 'The purpose of the operation is to ensure the safe movement of people seeking international protection from the tents on the Grand Canal to International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)-designated accommodation.
'The IPAS-designated accommodation has toilets and showers; health services; indoor areas where food is provided; facilities to charge phones and personal devices; access to transport to and from Dublin City Centre; and 24-hour onsite security.'
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Irish premier Simon Harris said the similar operation last week had a 'very positive impact' and averted a 'public health near-emergency'.
A crane operator removes the tents from the waterside area, lifting them into a lorry to be taken away
The operation involved the Irish police service, Dublin City Council, the national health service, the Department of Integration and a waterway authority
He said: 'I continue to believe that it was the right action to take. I became Taoiseach four weeks
