Authorities are presently conducting an inquiry into the death of two males whose corpses were discovered in Dublin’s Grand Canal; at present, they do not believe that their deaths are suspicious. The men, identified as Donal Scanlon, a 49-year-old originally from Ballybunion in Co Kerry, and Alex Warnick, a 42-year-old U.S. native, were discovered dead on the site on Saturday following an emergency services response to a report of a body in the canal at 8.15am. Soon after this, a second body was retrieved.
The men were friends who had been residing in separate tents near to where their bodies were eventually found in the canal. A source indicated that the main hypothesis under investigation is that one of the men may have fallen into the canal in the early hours of Saturday and that the other went into the water to help him but encountered difficulties. No signs of bodily harm that suggest suspicious circumstances have been identified on their remains so far.
Whilst awaiting autopsy results, the authorities speculate that the findings will influence the direction of their investigation. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHRE), are collaborating with the Gardaí in determining the circumstances surrounding their deaths. Both men, it was confirmed, were known to the DRHRE and had availed of its services. Mr. Scanlon was understood to travel between Dublin and his native Kerry intermittently, and Mr. Warnick had been residing in Ireland for several years.
Additionally, Keira Gill, the director of A Lending Hand, a service for the homeless, emphasized the need for collaboration between government bodies in dealing with the growing issue of individuals living in tents.
“We are deeply moved by the tragic loss of the two gentlemen who passed away this past weekend, as well as their grief-stricken families. The horrifying prospect of more individuals sleeping rough perishing on the streets of our cities and towns greatly alarms us,” she expressed. “The organisations and charities tasked with addressing homelessness are giving it their all, yet they are woefully underfunded given the growing thousands seeking assistance.”
She indicated that the majority of rough sleepers find themselves in such predicaments as they feel “unsafe in shelters for the homeless”.
A Lending Hand, an organisation in the process of seeking charitable status, regularly works in conjunction with Tiglin, another outreach initiative operating out of Lighthouse.
“We convene at the Lighthouse fortnightly, and were shocked to find that our food supplies were depleted by the increasingly staggering turnout. A situation like this is unprecedented,” Ms Gill revealed. “It is critical that the Government engages in a comprehensive dialogue with our organisation and other counterparts in the homelessness sector to devise a strategy that can tackle this escalating predicament effectively.”
Thoughts were also shared by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, a Represantative of Dublin Bay South, who conveyed her heartfelt condolences to all the individuals impacted by this devastating situation.