Organized begging

Foxhound38

I drive around Dublin City Centre every day for work; have done for years and I don't think I've ever seen in the begging situation as bad. We've always had beggars but now you can't walk down the street without tripping up over the, you can't have a meal or a drink in the outside part of any bar or restaurant in the city without getting hassled with a rehearsed sob story multiple times and lately you can't stop at a traffic lights or even sit in a parked car without some eejit wandering between cars knocking at the window. And it's always the same eejits in the same areas - day in, day out. Its like they have been given specific patches.

What's worse is that lately they haven't been taking a simple no for an answer either - specifically since the summer hit they've been getting very aggressive when cash isn't forthcoming. A swift "fcuk off" tends to sort it ultimately but tourists and the elderly don't need to be dealing with this sort of crap.

Is it as bad outside the capital lately? Is there anything specific behind it? Today alone I've been hassled at least 6 times and it isn't even 4pm.

One eyed Jack

Is it as bad outside the capital lately? Is there anything specific behind it? Today alone I've been hassled at least 6 times and it isn't even 4pm.

It’s not even that bad in Dublin City Centre, and I’ve yet to trip over any beggars. Such a claim might be more of an indication that you need to go to Specsavers.

Their increased visibility definitely has something to do with the good weather though, and the increase in tourism as you allude to is also a significant factor. A downpour of Biblical proportions is what’s needed really 🤔

https://youtu.be/kGTY-7e3iT0

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058303678/organized-begging

As your thread title says, it's organised. If there is money to be made, people will exploit it. A campaign telling people not to give money on the street due to the organised nature of it might help. But they'd just move on to the next "easy" money scheme.

riclad

It's not organised. Homeless people will beg put a cup on the ground maybe they are looking for money for drink or drugs it's mostly the same people. In the same area the problem is the weather is mild

We need a few days of rain to get them to stop for a while every city has this problem .

My advice is keep moving don't stop. Simply say I have no change

It's part of life in the city

corner of hells

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804911#Comment_120804911

Yes I can see heroin or crack addicts getting organised and planning their day , start times and finish times along with making sure everyone gets a break.

Odhinn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805337#Comment_120805337

The HR department e-mails would be a hoot.

Overheal

They address this problem with Atlanta with collection boxes all around the city center where you can donate to city run homeless causes like soup kitchens. Can’t imagine how much panhandling there would be without them, there’s already still a fair amount in parts of the city.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

Some of it is organised. When I see 4-5 guys dropped off by car to go begging and then get picked up again by the same car there is some organisation going on. Sometimes may be the organisation is a family level like when I've seen a family get out of their car walk into town and on the way take off their decent jackets and put on tatty dirty ones.

How come I can see the same group of beggars in Waterford then the same guys a few days later in Dungarvan?

corner of hells

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805367#Comment_120805367

Yeah , but Waterford , c’mon.

There is begging happening in the suburbs too, and noticeably more.

If you happen to be going through the McDonalds Drive-Thru lane in the Belgard Road branch, keep your car windows up between the speaker and the pay window.

There are two men (I think they are father and son) who constantly beg there. They are down the side of the building so not visible to the staff in the store. The younger man in particular will come up to the car windows and aggressively shake his cup in your face, and make a nasty comment if drive on without giving him anything. Often he is on the lane, and the other man is standing by the exit gate.

McDonalds are aware of it, and I've seen the security move them on once, but they're persistant and keep coming back so now the security seem to just ignore them.

whisky_galore

Well meaning idiots and soft touches keep it going.

Don't give money and it will reduce. It's that simple.

20Wheel

Beggars, seagulls, vulture funds and Tubridy. Its a jungle out there.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805644#Comment_120805644

They should also put up signs about the other three

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805710#Comment_120805710

Just you wait they'll be out there waving card machines just like in church before long ;-)

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

Did you not mean to say that some day a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

Very few of the visible street-sleepers or street-beggars are homeless: the actual homeless generally keep out of sight.

The Roma groups begging in Galway are most certainly organised: they start the day with a team meeting in Eyre Square or whatever, and I'm convinced there's someone saying who goes where each day.

TooTired123

There’s one guy in Thurles. Hes there Thursday till Saturday.

A van drops him off in the morning and collects him in the evening.

He sits outside Tesco with a sleeping bag, a money box and a small cardboard sign that says “Please help”.

He crosses the road to use the toilet in Hayes’s Hotel. He doesn’t beg, he doesn’t need to. People occasionally buy him snacks and drinks.

Id say he picks up around €100 a day. Maybe more on Friday.

I’ve no issue with this. People are allowed to spend their money however they wish.

Orange-Coca-Cola

I hear Noel Kelly is in a spot of bother, some his clients might be branching out in different areas.

It is possible that he might have sent his best talent out to OP's area, as it may result in the most lucrative results.

It might not be true, but it could be also.

Kimbot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805403#Comment_120805403

Same happens in the McDonalds on Naas Road, they sit at the speaker where you order and then again between the pay window and collection window. I have even seen them dealing on occassion but yet it still happens with nobody moving them on.

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

https://m.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/galway-city-to-crack-down-on-organised-begging-gangs-operating-out-of-eyre-square/a1865161696.html

https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2023/04/04/councillor-claims-organised-begging-ring-operating-in-athlone/

https://extra.ie/2017/12/24/news/irish-news/organised-beggars-flying-from-romania

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30886439.html

Of course it’s not. What was I thinking. The Prime Time and TV3 shows on it were “mockumentaries” too, were they??

nullzero

Have to laugh when you see them doing their little hand overs as their shifts change.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806769#Comment_120806769

Might have been funnier in your head my friend.

mikep

During lockdown, while working from home, I had the radio on and Newstalk had a guy on the street talking to some people begging. One fella said he used to make €350 a day. Begging won't be going away if they are getting that kind of cash....

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806292#Comment_120806292

I think that approach is all over the country- I know of one person in a shopping industrial estate type centre - woodies, Smyth’s toys etc those sort of shops- has been there week in week out for maybe the last 18 months- same spot every day - he’s not doing that if he’s not making good money

cbreeze

I don't carry cash so I'm always apologizing to beggars. The odd time I might have a couple of euro I give it to them if they look miserable and are Irish. The organised groups are delivered by van in my area and they position themselves outside shops and the post office. Some use public transport, bus and rail and they are better dressed than I am!

Everlong1

Yet another manifestation of the deterioration of law and order in this country. I'm sure we have plenty of laws against begging like we do about everything else but sure why bother enforcing them either.

No doubt the usual suspects will be along any minute to vilify me and others on this thread as an edgelord right wing Nazi anti-immigrant homophobe Tory whatever you’re having yourself, crime is no worse in Ireland than anywhere, you see beggars in every European city yada yada yada.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807245#Comment_120807245

There was another guy at McDonalds City West, but they moved their flower planters to block off where he used to sit.

Another time I saw a guy dipping his hand into the little box for collecting spare change for charity they have under the pay window.

SortingYouOut

Guy often around Baggot St/Grand Canal area. If i'd to guess i'd say Roma, heavy enough set for someone needing to beg and has a moustache. Avoid him at all costs. He is aggressive and will often play the act of infuriation when denied change, once doing it to two elderly women who were clearly shaken by it.

Horrible bastard.

Everlong1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120808317#Comment_120808317

Do you see this charmer regularly? Ever called the Guards on him? Probably a pointless exercise I know but couldn't do any harm either.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120808183#Comment_120808183

I regard giving to beggars the same way I regard people falling for telephone/text/e-mail scams.

At this stage there has been so much publicity regarding scams and organised begging that if people continue to insist on giving their money away to strangers when they could give it to a reliable local charity or cause in their own community then they must be allowed to do whatever they want.

We have very generous social safety net to save people from needing to beg. If people are begging then they are begging to support their addictions. I don’t think I want to help someone to feed their addiction but I can’t speak for anyone else.

Everlong1

There's an individual sits on the footpath on Stephen's Green between Grafton Street and Dawson Street. She's a member of a certain Irish "ethnic minority" who we're not allowed to talk about.

Her particular, well rehearsed and long running act involves whingeing and crying in a very loud voice "MISTER PLEASE ! WON'T YOU HELP ME I'M STARVING ! PLEASE BUY ME FOOD ! OH PLEASE MISTER HELP ME!"

God love the poor craythur. I work in that area and she's been starving to death on that footpath for at least ten years now.

There used to be another shyster who was mentioned on Boards before. This guy was deaf (or pretended to be). His act involved actively going up to people with a begging note in his hand, thrusting it in front of you and gesticulating wildly at the note until you told him to eff off. I haven't seen him around in ages so hopefully he's either moved on elsewhere or else has done us all a favour and dropped dead, or been murdered by an irate passerby, Travis Bickle / Michael Douglas in Falling Down style.

Foxhound38

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120809152#Comment_120809152

I think I know the one you're talking about. I saw someone falling for it once - he came into a shop I was in followed by her. She started loading up a trolley full of everything she could find including slabs of cans. Yer man waited until they got to the cashier (whom she asked for a few cartons of cigarettes) and he just walked off, having grown wise to what was happening here. She looked like she could spit glass - "da durrrty b*stars!" 😂

The Continental Op

We have very generous social safety net to save people from needing to beg. If people are begging then they are begging to support their addictions. I don’t think I want to help someone to feed their addiction but I can’t speak for anyone else.

I also wonder if they are begging to pay off some gang master who got them into the country?

Everlong1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120809300#Comment_120809300

Jesus. Unbelievable. I saw her with another victim in a Tescos once and was very tempted to go over and intervene but didn't. Having read that I'll definitely be stepping up if I see her again.

Actually that's just given me an evil thought...I might pretend to help her myself and then stroll off laughing when we get to the cash desk. Although I wouldn't want the poor Tesco staff to have to waste time putting all the stuff back on the shelves.

Fair play to your man who left her standing. You'd think she'd have had more sense than to kill the golden goose by ordering all the booze.

mcgragger

Give them nothing.

I played along one time last summer with a man who asked me for money for a hostel.

How much I said to which he answered €20.

I told him tell me the name of the hostel and I'll ring them. He's says awh just give me the money. I said no give me the number. He wouldn't. So I told him if he's was hungry I'd buy him food. Reluctantly he came along to Tesco and I spent a few quid on food for him. Not Heroin.

I work for my money and I came from nothing. So since then my charity goes to local causes and the Hospice.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120809372#Comment_120809372

My point is, if no passers by ever gave any beggar any money, then it’s entirely possible that people might have to avail of addiction services rather then feeding their addiction via the misguided kindness of strangers.

And people traffickers wouldn’t traffic any more misfortunates to Ireland because there’d be no money to be made out of it.

Larbre34

Begging should be banned outright, in all circumstances.

We have an infrastructure of State and Charitable organisations in this Country, such that nobody need want for a hot meal or drinks every single day, if that is what they lack.

We do need to improve providing secure shelter for people without a place to call home, but that's not what begging is about.

To my mind it is almost impossible to separate genuine begging for food, from begging for money for drugs, or plain organised criminal begging.

The solution is to ban it and eliminate the option for criminality and provide for those in a very genuine need, a different way.

By the way, I have the very highest admiration for my fellow citizens who would go and buy a meal for a person on the street and bring it to them and engage them in a quick chat and not discriminate as to whether their need was genuine or not.

It's the height of basic compassion and I feel guilty that I have never done it, when seeing a person who is plainly not a criminal beggar, but just in a very bad time in their life.

corner of hells

I work with addicts , it not unusual to have a heroin addict on 5 or 6 bags a day at a cost of in and around 100 euros.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120809758#Comment_120809758

As long as they can get the €100 per day from kind strangers then everybody is winning.

The addict gets their fix, the dealer gets their wages, the supplier gets his Range Rover the kind passer by gets the warm fuzzy feeling that makes the guilt go away.

corner of hells

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120809844#Comment_120809844

You missed a bit , the addict also gets a warm fuzzy feeling.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120810015#Comment_120810015

Ah yes. Heroin pouring through veins fuzzy, new Range Rover smell fuzzy, dealer not getting shot in the head today relief fuzzy.

SortingYouOut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120808844#Comment_120808844

A good few times a year and have seen the guards deal with him by moving him on, sure what else are they going to do. Waste of time.

riclad

theres some homeless people living on the streets in tents ,they dont want to live in a hostel .

i dont think you should give money to people who ask for it, eg drop money into a cup beside someone sitting on the street if you want

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120809735#Comment_120809735

Sounds good.

But what do the guards do with someone who keeps doing it anyway?

castletownman

Its remarkable.

There's two beggars in my town with identical signs in very legible writing.

Go down to a bigger town 40 mins away, and the beggars there have the exact same signs, with the exact same message and handwriting.

How coincedental

Honorable

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807899#Comment_120807899

Film the shift change

Honorable

Just ignore them. They will soon get to know you as you get to know them. Ignore and make no eye contact. The beggars ignore me now. Only once asked lately and that was by a new one.

They will soon learn not to waste time on you. They are like abusive phone callers they soon get fed up of no response

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120810781#Comment_120810781

They are asked to move. Next time they are removed. Next time they are removed and detained. Next time they are removed detained and jailed.

It's like the Enoch Burke situation. The law is reasonably tolerant and fairly proportionate, but it will not be mocked.

Honorable

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120809735#Comment_120809735

How does one know if they are genuine or just telling a story

Strumms

The law :

Begging in an aggressive, intimidating or threatening manner is a public order offence. A person found guilty of this offence is liable on summary conviction to a class E fine or up to one month in prison, or both. The Gardaí can direct people begging in certain areas to leave that area, for example, people begging at an ATM, a night safe, a vending machine or a shop entrance. If the person does not follow the request to move they can be charged with an offence and get a class E fine on summary conviction.

It is also an offence to organise or direct someone else to beg. On summary conviction for this offence you are liable to a class A fine, or up to 12 months in prison, or both.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal-law/criminal-offences/public-order-offenses-in-ireland/

it’s unlawful but not enforced.

I just got approached by a beggar while taking cash out of an ATM in CityWest Shopping Centre. (For anyone who knows the centre it was the ATM beside Costa).

He was a good six inches taller than me, and a big guy, not thin. Blue jacket. Totally out of his head. Called me a vile name when I said no.

He walked away, but then went up to my car which was parked a few meters away, where my daughter was sitting in the passenger seat. She told him no too.

I'm not the better of it, if I'm honest.