begging legislation published

97i9y3941

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/begging-legislation-published-today-444107.html

The Minister for Justice has today published new legislation to make begging an offense if its accompanied by threatening, violent or obstructive behavior.

The reform comes after the current law which dates from 1847 was struck down by the Supreme Court.

The new Public Order Legislation gives gardaí the power to direct beggers to move on from bank machines, businesses, or private houses.

Under the law begging in itself will not be criminalised.

thank god this is coming into force,some of them people do be a nuisance or make a good living out of it..

Dudess

I can't say it has ever remotely affected me - some people are in desperate circumstances, nice to see such overwhelming compassion.

pietromas

Fred83 wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/begging-legislation-published-today-444107.html


thank god this is coming into force,some of them people do be a nuisance or make a good living out of it..

Haven't read it yet (can't find the damn thing), but I bet it won't deal with the far greater problem, the scourge of chuggers.

A guy sitting by an ATM with a coffee cup, or asking (more often than not politely!) if I have any spare change as I move by him in the street is nothing compared to the organised attacks of groups of chuggers who will literally block all possible routes and step in front of you and harrass you to a far greater extent than most junkies or homeless guys.

God I hate those b*stards. Scum.

97i9y3941

basically hes trying crack down on roma's who often have someone near by watching them and then when their day is done,get picked up in their car and drive to somewhere else,oh and collect their dole of course lol..

Red_Marauder

I have only experienced an aggressive begger once, I'm pretty sure he was off his face on something.

To be honest, I don't have any problem with this law, or with any law criminalising threatening and aggressive behaviour on the streets really. It's not quite 'a ban on begging' which is how some people might seek to push it.

Fred83 wrote: »

basically hes trying crack down on roma's who often have someone near by watching them and then when their day is done,get picked up in their car and drive to somewhere else,oh and collect their dole of course lol..

No he isn't, but I presume you're joking

johnnyskeleton

Fred83 wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/begging-legislation-published-today-444107.html


thank god this is coming into force,some of them people do be a nuisance or make a good living out of it..

Well if they are a nuisance or make a good living out of it, is that enough to criminalise them for it?

As another poster pointed out, those people who go around for concern etc are a much greater nuisance, as are street vendors, those rickshaw things, tour groups, buskers etc. The reality is that when you go into the city centre the streets will have all sorts going about their business. If you feel it is a nuisance that is unfortunate, but it's part of city life. I find the crowds in town on a saturday a nuisance, but I accept it as a necessary part of going into the city centre.

As for making a good living out of it, well I don't think that's true but if it is then people should stop giving them money but that's a side issue. You can't criminalise them because they found a way to make money. You could maybe serve a revenue tax assessment on them but that's about it.

One of the things I fear about this legislation is a very broad definintion of aggressive begging. If you go past some of the luas stops, there will often be beggars there who help people to use the ticket machine (because tourists find them difficult to understand). They provide a service, for free, and then ask for a bit of a tip afterwards. This is, in my opinion, good begging and whenever someone is trying to be helpful or entertaining I'm always more inclined to help them out.

However, I can also see some people taking great offence at their mere presence at the ticket machine and will report it to a garda. Or worse, the garda will take it upon themselves to determine that it is aggressive begging.

IMO, when begging you should be allowed to do the same things as someone asking the time, or asking for a minute for concern, or any of the other legitimate reasons strangers interact in public streets. The point at which it becomes criminal behaviour should be the same for all of these activities, and if there is an offence of aggressive begging, surely there should be offences of aggressive asking the time, aggressive tying of shoelaces, aggressive asking for a light etc.

Also it's a minor thing but the old law was struck down by the High Court, not the Supreme Court.

Nodin

One eejit presenter on TV3 during the week said "we've all been affected by it" (gangs of aggressive beggars). I haven't, and I collect my money from one or two different ATM's on a weekly basis...

miec

As another poster pointed out, those people who go around for concern etc are a much greater nuisance, as are street vendors, those rickshaw things, tour groups, buskers etc. The reality is that when you go into the city centre the streets will have all sorts going about their business. If you feel it is a nuisance that is unfortunate, but it's part of city life. I find the crowds in town on a saturday a nuisance, but I accept it as a necessary part of going into the city centre.

Excellent point and overall a good post.