A FORMER Lord Mayor of cork has said a homeless man’s tent should be removed as he is 'taking the mick'.
Fine Gael Councillor Des Cahill said the marquee-style tent at St Patrick’s Quay is flouting planning laws.
However homeless campaigners have called on the city councillor to show more compassion to the man living in the tent, who has been homeless in the city for three years.
According to the Irish Examiner, the man is believed to be from Britain and his ex-wife and son live in Cork.
He fundraised for the marquee-style tent to replace a smaller tent that he couldn’t stand up in.
Comparing the pitching of the tent to dumping black bags, Cllr Cahill told the Irish Examiner: “It is flouting every planning law in the city.
“It’s an absurd situation and this man is taking the mick.
“It should be removed, dismantled, thrown into the back of one of our council trucks and taken away.”
However homeless rights campaigner Bernard O’Hehir said Cllr Cahill and the council should reach out to the man and offer help.
“Perhaps if Cllr Cahill opened his mind and showed more understanding and compassion to this situation, it would be better,” he said.
Latest figures from the Department of Housing show there are almost 10,000 homeless people in Ireland, including 3,826 children.
In the south-wast there are 672 homeless people, of which 246 are children.
Of the 426 homeless adults in the region, 314 are in Co. Cork and 112 are in Co. Kerry.
