Gardaí hear claims of organised crime gang behind begging
A Galway City councillor has claimed there is a criminal gang of organised beggars is operating in the city.
Cllr Peter Keane told a meeting of Galway City Joint Policing Committee (JPC)l this week that the credentials of some of those begging on Galway streets should be drawn into question by law enforcement officers.
“We have a problem with vagrancy and begging – it has become big business in this city and I don’t accept the bona fides of those begging because of the great work that COPE and other charities are doing.
“It is the act of organisation which I think is happening in this city,” said Cllr Keane.
Chief Superintendent Tom Curley told the JPC that the Gardaí were monitoring begging activity and that any occurrence of illegal organised begging would be prosecuted accordingly.
“In relation to begging legislation, from the weekend, a number of people were arrested for questioning for begging.
“If we have any information in relation to organised begging, you can take it that we are dealing with that,” he said.
The question of child exploitation arose in relation to busking and it was claimed there was a concern that new bylaws brought in to protect children from the practice could be damaging to young artists.
Galway City Community Network representative on the JPC, Irene Murphy, said proposed restrictions requiring minors under the age of 16 to seek a permit to perform would be detrimental.
“I would know a lot of young people that perform and there are very few alcohol-free spaces in the city where young people can get experience.
“I would worry that child protection is being used as a screen here and I would hate that young people would not be allowed to perform,” she said.
However, member of the Strategic Policy Committee that approved the busking bylaws, Cllr Donal Lyons, said that this was done only to combat child exploitation.
“There was a genuine concern about children being exploited and concern from members of the SPC with regard to child safety,” he said.