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Child Item

Non-homeless people just begging for the craic.

An Claidheamh

I've always known that many of the people begging in Dublin City centre are not homeless but even have more money than I do!

You have the scangers just coming up and asking for a euro,
the other ones who tourists think are there to help them work the Luas machines,
the scanger kids who go around asking for cigarettes.

Today, I was waiting for a tram, when a mid 30s woman with a kid holding her hand, probably looking around clothes shops, got my attention and then showed me an empty cup with a coin in it. After me she just half heartedly went to a couple of others, and then cool as you like walked into food shop. She wasn't even hardly an aggressive beggar at all. Not even trying.

I was amazed at how well dressed she was. I would have assumed she was a Brazilian or Spanish tourist were it not for the fact she wanted money.

I can't get over how easy it is for both scangers and gypsies, who are of equal or more wealth than the people they ask, to swan around shaking a cup at people.

Who gives them money these days?

Tell me this, would it be better to relieve these people of their cups of change if they harrass you in future.

And before the legal eagles claim I would be put in prison, if there were actually gardai around there would be no begging like this and if they illegally got their cup of change through (illegal) begging, then they cannot get the police to demand it back because it was ill gotten. Right?

Anyone have any experience of people literally just chancing their arm begging?

And should aggressive beggars (not homeless people!) have their cups taken away?

Has anyone ever done it like shopkeepers to stop begging outside their shops?

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IrishWandering

I have seen the same gypsie outside the Tesco near where I live begging for money almost every time I go shopping, I watched for a minute or two and noticed that almost every elderly person that walked past popped a few euro in his cup that he flailed in their faces. Sad to see how he tricks them and makes them feel sorry for him. He is always wearing new clothes and shoes, I think I even saw him with a phone. He probably lives in a bigger house then the rest of us. Unbelievable.

niallo32

There is a well dressed and spoken English woman in her forties who speaks perfect English and French who hangs around Charles De Gaulle Airport seemingly every day approaching people begging - she's approached me looking for taxi money after losing her wallet about ten times now over the last year

conorh91

Ciaran_B wrote: »

Had a South African guy try give me the same nonsense in Rathmines a few weeks back. "I need 17 euro to get the bus to <some made up place>.I lost my wallet etc"

I had that on Camden Street back in January. I was at an ATM at the time. He did sound South African so I half-believed his story but I have a big problem with people walking up to ATM users like that.

Anyway, I was going to the ATM because I had no change so I'd hardly have I given him €20 or €50. Well someone must be giving him money, if he's still at it.

[Deleted User]

realies wrote: »

Not all junkies are homeless and not all homeless are junkies .
There are a number of things we can do to help the homeless. If you feel uncomfortable with giving money, Then why not buy them lunch or dinner.

And when it's the non homeless/vulnerable, which is the subject of this thread, they throw it away and get annoyed it's not money

The svp seem to do some good work. It's frustrating sometimes when you just want to help everyone and you can't

John_Rambo

SMJSF wrote: »

And we have the Romanians pulling the rubbish from our bins and scattering it on the ground, steps and path. The other day a well known one was trying to get money from the landlord and I opened the door to put my rubbish out, and she scattered quickly, we dont get along after a few run-ins with her!

Are you sure you're not confusing our friendly Romanians with Romani?

Giblet

SMJSF wrote: »

Its the Romanians which grind my gears!
And it ticks me off that we can't send them back because of the "oh my 10 kids are in Ireland" crap, and that the EU scheme was set up.
Scrap that awful EU idea, keep laws and countries to themselves and stricter boarder/gate rules and checks.
Where I'm living there is 3 different beggars a day in the same spot.

And the guy with the small brown dog and the shopping trolley in Dublin city ended up getting banned from my area because he started harassing people in their own cars in traffic at 5pm and blocking the doorways of public businesses to stop people going in or out to give him money, and followed me to the front door of my apartment building, and I ended up having an argument with him and had the call the gardai!!
And we have the Romanians pulling the rubbish from our bins and scattering it on the ground, steps and path. The other day a well known one was trying to get money from the landlord and I opened the door to put my rubbish out, and she scattered quickly, we dont get along after a few run-ins with her!

You know the difference between Romanians and Roma/Romani right?

jungleman

I just divide them into two categories:

1. Genuine homeless people
2. Romanians

There are a lot of homeless people out there who literally are living each day to the next. It must be awful actually having nothing to look forward to when they wake up each morning. I wouldn't mind tossing them a few bob. There's a guy who sleeps under the bridge at Pearse St train station and I get him a cup of tea and a bit of spare change if I see him.

Romanian beggars are professional beggars. They have houses. They beg because they just see it as a way to make easy money. I have no sympathy for them, and wouldn't give them the time of day.

Hammer89

I was in Canada earlier in the year and two of the many things I noticed were: a) it's not possible to go one day without somebody asking you for money and b) their tone of voice is almost childlike.

We're talking about grown men and women, of a very diverse age range, but they all sounded like children when asking for money. This could've been intentional, a method of provoking sympathy, or it might've just been reflective of their situation and desperation.

I don't particularly care whether or not they deserve their struggles, due to addiction or whatever, but it's still f*cking sad.

TheGoldenAges

Homeless guy outside Tesco yesterday in the city was begging and a girl no older than 10 takes a chocolate muffin out of the tray and puts it beside him. The guy picked it up and threw it onto the road. Absolute scumbag

John_Rambo

jungleman wrote: »

I just divide them into two categories:

1. Genuine homeless people
2. Romanians

I'll ask you the same question. Are you sure you're not confusing our friendly Romanians with Romani?

Stheno

Hammer89 wrote: »

I was in Canada earlier in the year and two of the many things I noticed were: a) it's not possible to go one day without somebody asking you for money and b) their tone of voice is almost childlike.

We're talking about grown men and women, of a very diverse age range, but they all sounded like children when asking for money. This could've been intentional, a method of provoking sympathy, or it might've just been reflective of their situation and desperation.

I don't particularly care whether or not they deserve their struggles, due to addiction or whatever, but it's still f*cking sad.

There is a huge problem in Canada in that their mental health services have reduced hugely, and they have a huge indigenous population who are all on the street and begging.

Every time I've been there I've been shocked at the level of begging/harassment and that's from someone living in Dublin

I was sad tonight to see a beggar outside my local Centra in Swords, then gladenned to see a teenager come out and give him a sandwich, which he accepted with thanks.

I'd nothing on me to give him at the time,

jungleman

John_Rambo wrote: »

I'll ask you the same question. Are you sure you're not confusing our friendly Romanians with Romani?

I know the difference between the two, but refer to them as Romanians out of habit. Everyone does, in fairness.

Stheno

jungleman wrote: »

I know the difference between the two, but refer to them as Romanians out of habit. Everyone does, in fairness.

No they don't, I refer to Roma beggars as Roma, they are quite different from my former Romanian neighbours

Flippyfloppy

jungleman wrote: »

I just divide them into two categories:

1. Genuine homeless people
2. Romanians

There are a lot of homeless people out there who literally are living each day to the next. It must be awful actually having nothing to look forward to when they wake up each morning. I wouldn't mind tossing them a few bob. There's a guy who sleeps under the bridge at Pearse St train station and I get him a cup of tea and a bit of spare change if I see him.

Romanian beggars are professional beggars. They have houses. They beg because they just see it as a way to make easy money. I have no sympathy for them, and wouldn't give them the time of day.

Completely discrediting yourself talking about 'Romanian beggars'

jungleman

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

Completely discrediting yourself talking about 'Romanian beggars'

how so?

John_Rambo

jungleman wrote: »

I know the difference between the two

Glad you know now.

jungleman wrote: »

but refer to them as Romanians out of habit

I reckon that's a bad habit. You should try and kick it.

jungleman wrote: »

Everyone does, in fairness

They don't really. Only silly people do.

jungleman

John_Rambo wrote: »

Glad you know now.

I reckon that's a bad habit. You should try and kick it.

They don't really. Only silly people do.

Gee whizz mister, thanks for the crash course on political correctness and ethnic group differences. Hopefully everyone reading the thread will glean some of your wisdom and go forth as wiser people. It's obvious from your comments that you are such a good person. Fantastic stuff, really.

[Deleted User]

Romanians are as fed up with the roma as anyone else
it's not exactly "political correctness" any more than it is to not call the french spanish or something ... just wrong

jungleman

bluewolf wrote: »

Romanians are as fed up with the roma as anyone else
it's not exactly "political correctness" any more than it is to not call the french spanish or something ... just wrong

Yeah I know and that's fair enough, I conceded that I said "Romanians" out of habit. Rambo just wouldn't accept that for face value and decided to conduct a bit of passive aggressive douche-baggery as a response.

John_Rambo

jungleman wrote: »

Gee whizz mister, thanks for the crash course on political correctness and ethnic group differences. Hopefully everyone reading the thread will glean some of your wisdom and go forth as wiser people. It's obvious from your comments that you are such a good person. Fantastic stuff, really.

Come on jungleman, you were confusing a whole nation with a dispersed ethnic group!

Still, I'm glad I educated you and you've thanked me, so you're welcome.

The Dogs Bollix

I normally feel so sorry for homeless people, like they have nothing.

Walked past someone sitting on the street today smoking a cigarette. I didn't feel so sorry walking past. 10 euro for a box of cigarettes. 10 euro can also go a long way in aldi/lidl.

John_Rambo

Anyone remember the barefooted beggar on Henry street in the 90's? His feet were mud scattered and trembling... but he had a mobile phone! Absolute chancer!
Edit... I saw so many elderly inner city women and men give him cash. Not good.

Stheno

The Dogs Bollix wrote: »

I normally feel so sorry for homeless people, like they have nothing.

Walked past someone sitting on the street today smoking a cigarette. I didn't feel so sorry walking past. 10 euro for a box of cigarettes. 10 euro can also go a long way in aldi/lidl.

They might have been smoking rollies?

Eimee90

It's a hard one, I agree there is a lot of aggressive begging but there are a lot of awful cases out there too. Years ago my friend and got asked for change from a homeless lad in Dublin. He looked wretched to be honest, we instead went into the centra and got him a tea and Sandwich, never seen anyone eat so fast. It's hard to judge on this one, I sure as hell wouldn't choose that life

mynamejeff

Man afterhours is classy

where people cme to complain about the quality of the beggers :-))

The Dogs Bollix

Stheno wrote: »

They might have been smoking rollies?

Nope it was a cigarette.

the_syco

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Used to work dublin city a lot and still do and you don't see a lot of this "beggers" at night but you do see a few usuals sleeping rough like the couple on nassue Street and the bloke at trailfinders on Dawson street.... these i genuinely feel bad for

Most get onto the homeless night bus that tries to put people into the various homeless shelters and rooms. Although some don't want to be in there, and others don't want to give up their booze (some shelters don't allow booze).

foggy_lad wrote: »

All these people are more than adequately catered for by social welfare/mental health/homeless services so I say

The homeless are helped by the various homeless services. And a lot of homeless have mental health issues.

foggy_lad wrote: »

I remember giving that guy that died a tenner on Abbey st one day a few months before he died

The guy who sold the houses his family gave to him? Unless you ask for help from the mental health services, you're not going to get that much help.

An Claidheamh wrote: »

Surprise them, take it off them and walk off or dump it.

unless you're a big lad, i wouldn't do so, as the people who drop them off may not take kindly to this behaviour.

KingBrian2 wrote: »

You should not enable him, he needs some treatment. A better idea would have ben to recommend that he check himself into a local clinic or join Alcohol Anonymous to meet other people in the same situation.

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

The sad reality is that the people who are least capable of pulling themselves out of addiction are expected to do all of the heavy lifting before a detox bed will even be given to them. In the case of homeless service users, a residential unit might insist they have to be coming off their addiction in a substance-free hostel before they can be considered, for example.

KingBrian2 wrote: »

They should not being doing it alone, without a family or a friend it will be very difficult for them to get through. A loving relationship can improve their lives and may them give up an addiction.

Eh... what?

Simon2015

John_Rambo wrote: »

Anyone remember the barefooted beggar on Henry street in the 90's? His feet were mud scattered and trembling... but he had a mobile phone! Absolute chancer!
Edit... I saw so many elderly inner city women and men give him cash. Not good.

Having a mobile phone back in the 90s would be like having an iPhone 6 today.

The Adversary

Although there are homeless down this part of the country, it's nowhere near the proportions it is in Dublin. Down here the few homeless are known by name and have a personality lashed onto them. "Local legends" so to speak. You'd often hear rumors spread on Facebook and twitter where "so and so died" or "so and so fell in the river"

colossus-x

I had a friend tell me once that he used to go begging in London , when we were reminiscing about when we both lived there back in the day. He told me he'd make around 20 quid and then go drink it in the pub. I was speechless.