CARMEL O'REILLY,
Madam, - So many issues of injustice contend for our attention and conscience that it is difficult to focus. However, the death of an evicted tenant of Dublin Corporation on Thursday morning, January 30th, found outside his own boarded up flat, defies explanation. This fact was given such concise and succinct coverage on the RTE news bulletin (on Friday evening), that I cannot even recall his name.
He was found after a particularly cold night lying dead near the doorway of his flat in Fatima Mansions, presumably as a result of hypothermia. He had been evicted due to rent arrears of €600 and "anti-social behaviour" according to Dublin Corporation. To confound a horrific failure on the part of the State to provide the basic human right of shelter, a Dublin city councillor had the audacity to claim that provisions are made to provide accommodation for all the inhabitants of the city.
As anyone who cares to take the interest is well aware, this is not the case. It is a primary responsibility of the Government to provide social housing. Are waiting lists in excess of 35,000 in the Dublin area alone fulfilling this responsibility? There is a severe shortage of emergency accommodation, much of which is provided by charities; it is practically impossible to find a free bed any night of the week. It would serve us all better if public and government representatives at least were aware of the basic facts; maybe then we could make some start towards seriously tackling these issues.
How could we let this man die outside in freezing temperatures?
It is a shame for all of us that we allow this to happen and that we allow the State to repeatedly ignore its most vulnerable citizens. It is time we assessed our priorities and what kind of a society we are and can aspire to be - greedy and ignorant, or humane. - Yours, etc.,
CARMEL O'REILLY, Parkview Avenue, Harolds Cross, Dublin 6.