A section of steel fencing which had been in place to prevent tents from being erected along the banks of Dublin's Grand Canal has been removed, Waterways Ireland has confirmed.
It is understood structures from a length of the canal at Portobello were dismantled yesterday afternoon.
In a statement, Waterways Ireland confirmed that a "section of temporary fencing" was removed, describing the action "as a further step to fully reopen the canal amenity".
Earlier this month, the body began carrying out 24-hour patrols of the canal "to deter erection of illegal encampments".
On 10 September, Waterways Ireland said the measure was part of a pilot programme aimed at fully reopening the canal amenity.
At the time, Waterways Ireland said it had "introduced enhanced monitoring of the area, whereby two security personnel will augment Waterways Ireland staff by patrolling the area on a 24-hour basis".
The all-Ireland body said the measure was in place to help identify public health issues, to monitor sanitary and clean-up requirements, to survey the canal and canal bank and to deter criminal damage to Waterways Ireland property and fencing.
"Erecting temporary barriers along the canal was not something that Waterways Ireland had ever envisioned doing," it said in a statement issued this evening.
"It was done as a mitigation measure, primarily for reasons of health and safety, and public health, following large-scale illegal encampments on the canal banks," it added.
Waterways Ireland reiterated that the removal of the section of fences is part of a pilot programme which will be kept under review and is part of the body's efforts to fully reopen the canal amenity.
It said for operational reasons it would not be commenting further at this time.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Department of Integration said it was not aware any fencing had been removed and that Waterways Ireland is responsible for the fencing on the Grand Canal.
When contacted for comment, Dublin City Council said the matter was one for Waterways Ireland.
The barriers had been erected along parts of the Grand Canal since May after hundreds of tents were removed from an encampment on Mount Street.
A coalition of groups organised a demonstration in July against the fencing and made calls for Dublin City Council and Waterways Ireland to remove the barriers.
The Take Back Our Spaces Coalition wrote to Waterways Ireland, Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien regarding what it has described as "anti-social management of canals" and "inhumane treatment" of people who are homeless.
Separately, a group of protesters subsequently tore down the barriers following a protest calling for their removal before they were later re-erected.
As of yesterday, a total of 2,746 people seeking international protection accommodation in Ireland were without accommodation due to what the Department of Integration has previously described as a severe shortage of accommodation.
Additional reporting Marc O'Driscoll
