Simon Community Calls For Dublin’s ‘Anti-Homeless’ Spire To Be Taken Down

THE Simon community has today called on Dublin City Council to remove a very large spike from O’Connell street, as they deemed it ‘anti-homeless’ and ‘ugly’.

They claim the 121 meter spire, which was erected in January 2003, takes up a diameter of 10 feet at its base – enough space to fit at least 3 homeless people.

The proposal to remove it comes just days after the installation of pavement spikes in London to stop homeless people sleeping outside a building, which sparked outrage and 400,000 people to sign a petition in protest.

“The Dublin Spire is no different,” stated Simon Community chairman Denis Doherty. “Not only is it unsightly, its doesn’t tackle the homelessness problem in Dublin at’ll.”

Homeless man James Cordon told WWN that since the spike was put there he has found it increasingly difficult to sleep in the area at night.

“You just can’t sleep on it and it’s very uncomfortable.” he explained. “I’ve tried loads of times, but it’s just so big and it’s virtually impossible to get any kind of rest there. I found it very undermining to people like me sleeping rough in the city and something should be done about it. It’s discrimination so it tis.”

The Simon community estimates there are currently 4,600 homeless people living on the street of Dublin; the majority of whom are forced to sleep in different locations across the city.

“It would just be nice to be able to sleep in that exact spot where the spire is.” said another homeless man. “I bet it has a really smooth surface underneath – like marble. I can only imagine what it’s like waking up on something like that beauty. “