Is begging on the street illegal?

Pauliedragon

There was a guy begging on the street in my town yesterday and I saw the cops move him on. Never seen a beggar here before so was just curious.

Ivor_Guddon

no but it should be , you'll get the twats " ahh its just a couple of euro " etc

vermin 95 % of them are and alot is organised , probably make more than you or 1 do

i always say " sorry it all on the card " and one actually said no joke " i take revolut " but to have revolut don't you have to provide proof of address ?

Kimbot

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2011/act/5/section/3/enacted/en/html

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693482#Comment_121693482

No all beggars are homeless and just because you've a roof over your head doesn't mean you've the capability to feed yourself.

Most of them are polite enough, they're probably going to use some of the money towards drugs or alcohol but better they accept street donations than commit a violent crime to get their required funds.

In a perfect world they don't exist but they do.

Ivor_Guddon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693512#Comment_121693512

all bullcrap , also it makes people uncomfortable to use ATM's or to shop in certain places etc

i drive right out of the petrol station forecourt if i see beggers there etc

if people didn't give the money they wouldnt be here simple

Pauliedragon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693569#Comment_121693569

Interesting point he was about 5 metres from an ATM and on Sunday he was sitting literally right next to it even when it got dark

Ivor_Guddon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693620#Comment_121693620

imagine being an 80 year old and seeing these outside of a post office after getting your pension , thoughts of being mugged etc

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693569#Comment_121693569

You need to stop letting social media program you.... if it was such a profitable business there would be a lot more at it.

tomhammer..

One lad was a regular at svalu

I seen him in McDonald enjoying a huge meal while I was eating a eurosaver burger

Ivor_Guddon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693732#Comment_121693732

you'd wanna see where i am and no joke , every single supermarket has them outside and most take aways

take the tinted glasses off mate , its huge business

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693732#Comment_121693732

Have you ever been to Dublin city center? They are everywhere. Clearly the most profitable location.

Ivor_Guddon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693768#Comment_121693768

prob lives in a castle with a moate around it

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693768#Comment_121693768

Yep, no worse that any other city I have been to. And with the high cost of living in Ireland it should be no surprise to anyone.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693512#Comment_121693512

There is a subset of people and you can see them. Mostly rough sleepers or go from hostel to hostel at night. Yes, they may take drugs, yes they may take alcohol, but they have many other issues and they are polite and they'd almost prefer a sandwich & cup of soup than a €2 coin and I have no issue with them begging as they've been dealt a bad hand.

But I can assure you that not all beggars are homeless. Many see this as a "job" and a very lucrative one at that too.

And its not just the roma that are organised at it. In kildare town there are 2 that almost share Aldi & Lidl. Many times if I see them I drive off and spin to tesco. At one point herself went in a did the shopping and I watched as he got up and jumped into a fairly decent car that stopped on the main road for him.

As a country we are very generous with social welfare (and that's a good thing - unlike the UK where you can barely afford food) and therefore there's no need for begging by many and in a way you need to use your judgement. But thinking all are homeless and none of it is seen as a lucrative side hustle, if burying your head in the sand

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693792#Comment_121693792

Ya, you really should stop letting social media wind you up to the point that you thing Ireland is a special case. It is no worse or no better than anywhere else and given the cost of living etc.. it is not at all surprising.

Ivor_Guddon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693820#Comment_121693820

cost of living excuse again , most of these vermin are on the streets long before the so called crisis hit , people should be free to shop where they want and not be acosted or made to feel **** for doing so , there is supports in place for food kitchens ( all be it under-resourced ) or hostels etc , it's not right and should be stopped , dealt a bad hand ? that old chessnut , if you are a decent person trying to change your life people / friends / family will help you etc , if you are a down and out and always have been then you deserve it

pjordan

To address your initial question, begging persae is not illegal in itself. However if the beggar is hassling or intimidating the public or causing a nuisance then the Gardai will generally move them on. Of course if they are persistent "professionals" or desperate to get enough for their next fix, it's likely they will resume promptly around the corner or even in the same spot as soon as the Gardai have left

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693810#Comment_121693810

Having been to at least 20 different European and US cities in the last couple of years, I would say Dublin is worse than every single one of them ive been to except Cairo. Im sure Indian cities would be worse too, but i havent been to any.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693922#Comment_121693922

Strange. I have never seen a person barefoot begging in Dublin. Saw it Boston where it was snowing heavily. Chicago saw more than one family begging on the street with children below 10 and also snowing. San Francisco a homeless man defecating on a Starbucks window etc...

Never saw poverty in a western country like the USA. As for Europe lots of the cities have a very obvious prostitution issues on major parts of their city along with graffiti issues. Madrid being absolutely shocking for both

BobMc

one thing I noticed becoming more prevalent is they are now actively approaching you on foot begging, gone are the days of sitting with the cup I guess,

over christmas wife and I walked I say 150m max and 4 beggars 2 sitting, and 2 approached us on foot

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121694590#Comment_121694590

Theres a guy in Rathmines who takes the shoes and socks off and kneels there all day with his hands in a praying position and a bowl for money in front of him. And if you havent seen the people with the children in Dublin you must be in a different Dublin to me.

Never seen homeless people defecating in a window but i did see them riding in a doorway on O'Connell street once.

I know Chicago well. True that you can go down to lower wacker and see loads and loads of homeless there (I think they were supposed to be tidying that up too but havent been since before Covid so dont know how it ended up), but you wont see them on the main streets for long before they are moved on, unlike Dublin where they are in your face everywhere in the city center and you wont see them sitting under an ATM with police walking past and just looking at them and doing nothing.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121695319#Comment_121695319

Your man has shoes to take off to beg and wasn't walking around in the snow. That prostate begging isn't a Irish thing and most likely a Spanish beggar in Ireland as that is a common style they use as seen in their own cities along with having a pet bunny is common. Disabled people begging in Spain is very common where they don't get state aid like here. There was brief bunny craze in Dublin among the homeless

I have seen people beg with children in Ireland but again not Irish beggers but Roma. The CPS act very quickly if they see a child begging here these days. Not the same thing I saw in Chicago where it was a family living on the street and begging. Not sure of the areas in there but it was on the same street Hamilton was being performed so a major part of the city where people use it. They were there the full 10 days I was there during December which is pretty cold. The were living on the street not just begging.

It isn't illegal to beg in Ireland as it is in our constitution so why would the Gardai move them? Ireland has its problems but saying it is better in the USA is absolutely ridiculous. Most of our actual homeless beggers are addicts with complex mental health issues from abuse most often so in need of medical help primarily

BoardsBottler

As far as i know, passive begging is legal (sitting somewhere with a cup or sign). Verbally asking for money however, and going up to people is illegal and considered aggressive begging (despite it not being aggressive, its just the wording).

i was once out of work and went out begging, and was quite surprised with the results. An hour of begging had got me €20. i was just sitting with a cup and not being in anyones way. i wanted to busk instead of just begging passively because i wanted to feel like i could give something back or try earn the money, but turns out its against the law to busk without a permit

Some beggers can be a nuisense (especially around businesses and atm's) not because of being unsightly but rather because of being an inconvenience to people and even somewhat disruptive.

Has there been a new laws brought out, begging related?

BoardsBottler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121695499#Comment_121695499

there's a few reasons why. it could be seen as a form of solicitation or loitering, or blocking a doorway/footpath. Or some other excuse, but really what i imagine the truth of it could be (if the beggar is minding their own businuess and not annoying anyone) would be that they're moving the begger for 1st world reasons, like being an eyesore, or people in the area tutting and not wanting him/her there, or feeling intimidated by the beggars presense (made up reason i seen some people use to get them moved)

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693745#Comment_121693745

Someone on the last begging thread saw three Roma beggars depositing multiple stacks of €50 in the bank. Seriously, not only were they receiving €50 votes from hundreds of individual passers-by, they were willing to let the bank notify Revenue of their exceptionally large cash deposit.

This lad who can only afford a Big Mac meal clearly isn’t doing it right at all.

Strumms

The ones I’ve no time for are the ones right beside ATMs or banks….. 🖕🏻 it’s not a position for simple convenience it’s partly designed to be intimidatory….

I have been told that begging within a few meters of a bank or ATM was illegal, I see that legislation was sought about 12 / 13 years ago for that but I’m just scanning quickly and can’t see if it was ever made law. It should be law…

I’ve no problem with any begging if it is non intimidatory… unfortunately we are seeing more aggressiveness and more harrying and harassing of people now. It’s not acceptable…. Sitting on the ground or chair with a cup and or sign and asking people for spare change, grand.

jumping into people’s faces and startling them, harassing them in any situation , at ATM, bus stop or walking is BS…I don’t care what your problems are, but if you give me an issue you also might end up with an extra one yourself. If you are polite and respectful I’ll be the same and generally if I’ve a spare fiver you can have it.

peter4918

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121694590#Comment_121694590

What has prostitution and graffiti issues in other European cities got to do with begging?

Lewis_Benson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693745#Comment_121693745

You seen him, did you?

nachouser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693482#Comment_121693482

Vermin? Seriously, lads, it's a re-reg troll. I've a good one. Jesus.

Spanish Eyes

There was a bloke knocking around a few years ago, could still be I don't know. Around Grafton St and the surrounding streets. We were having a drink outside the Duke pub one evening, and he wandered along and held a sign up to my face. "Please help I am deaf". Well folks I burst out laughing and pointed to my own hearing aids and asked him to share his loot with me. He hightailed it after I said "WTF does being deaf have to do with you needing to beg" but maybe he didn't hear me.

I am deaf too.

BoardsBottler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121696925#Comment_121696925

well one is begging for money and willing to give something in return, while the other is just a colorful mess left against the wall