Galway Gardai to get legal advice about charity collectors
Galway Bay fm newsroom - The City's Joint Policing Committee is calling for a charity regulator to be appointed immediately to monitor people who collect cash for charity.
Councillor Donal Lyons told a meeting of the committee this week that a letter should be written to the Department of Justice calling for the appointment.
He said that many people are concerned about some charity collectors on city streets who can be quite pushy when trying to collect donations.
Chief Superintendent, Tom Curley said Galway Gardaí cannot control who gets issued a charity collection permit at the District Court in Dublin.
He said that around 4 thousand permits are granted in Galway each year, but sometimes collectors get a permit in Dublin and come to Galway to collect.
Mayor of Galway Padraic Conneely told the meeting that he's aware of one person who collects for charity who has a criminal record and another who is quite aggressive.
He said he will call Gardaí the next time he encounters these individuals.
Chief Superintendent Curley said he accepts that most people are trying to collect for a worthwhile cause.
He added that he would consult with his legal department and make representations to the Attorney General regarding legislation.