Homeless camping on canal bank

Sir, – On Saturday morning I cycled from Cross Guns Bridge to Binns Bridge on the Royal Canal towpath in Dublin. I was surprised to discover that there were up to 20 people living in eight tents on the canal bank.

Assuming that these were misguided tourists I engaged one couple in conversation and, to my amazement, discovered that they were in fact local residents, claiming to be homeless, and seeming to be entirely unaware that the recession was over, and that Ireland was now booming again.

Obviously some people have failed to fully appreciate Ireland’s current standing as a paragon of European economic success and their responsibility to behave accordingly. – Yours, etc,

PAUL P KELLY,

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Broadstone,

Dublin 7.