| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/5/2009 6:24:03 PM | Beggars on the street irritate me, it should be an offence to solicit money on the street but apparently it isn’t. At the height of our prosperity as a nation Government couldn’t or wouldn’t deal with this menace. Now that the country is facing bankruptcy (and be in no doubt about that), are we to see even more beggars harassing us and visitors alike?
What are your views? | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/6/2009 3:11:11 AM | It pisses me off big time. They get enough off the government. They dont need to beg!!
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/6/2009 4:54:57 AM | I have never had beggars harass me ....they just sit there with their stylofoam cup ....I'v never given money either .But I can't say it irks me that much really.
As long as there are streets there are going to be beggars, as long as there are houses there are going to be burglars,as long as we have work places ,shops ,there are going to be thieves ....I don't get the bone of contention for what is essentially a fact of life.
But does it look terrible...yes....are they going to over -run our towns and cities...I doubt it....I can't speak for other towns and cities ...but in cork I can't say people are actually falling over these fallouts on the streets..... | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/6/2009 7:33:06 AM | | i get pissed off cause most of the bloody beggars are from another country....they neednt hold their hand out in front of me | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/6/2009 7:48:18 AM | One thing my sister always complains about when she comes back home from london is the insane amount of beggers in the city , even around where i live in dublin 5 if i go up to the bank there does be romanian beggers , and there is a garda station not 5 minets away.
And there all so young !! in town people not even 30 years old begging its mad !!!!!
So what i recomend is the old yoink a rooney , get a coin tie some thread around it plop it there cup and the yoink it out and yell abuse at them and make yourself feel big  | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/18/2009 3:57:46 AM | gosh yes isn't it terrible that those scruffy smelly urchins get int the way of our Sunday morning stroll and brunch, why hasn't the government cleaned up that mess. tsk tsk.
The streets of our cities should only be used by stylish well heeled people who read the guardian and go to galleries. And if you are homeless and hungry, why just pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get a job. Or else have the decency to do your begging in the parts of town where we dont frequent.
Anyone who thinks begging relates to amount of money welfare pays are so narrow in their thinking. Just go read some sociology articles on the issue and then comment. Its a complex problem that cant be fixed by just giving an extra few quid in welfare. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/18/2009 10:07:42 AM | | It's a difficult situation. Before I used to have no time for them. But after working in the council for a few years and working with people who deal directly with the homeless etc. I found it amazing how some of their lives quickly spiralled out of control. Some have being hard working people, with families, homes etc. But through whatever difficulties they bit by bit started losing it all. And there are others who from the very start had it against them. Bring on more sheltered housing, bring on structured employment schemes to give them something to work for. To get their ambitioon and drive back. If anything, give them a chance. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/19/2009 3:51:38 AM | | good post munsterbear, nice to see someone thinking laterally and not demonising the victims. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/19/2009 1:32:32 PM | Well said scenicgirl and Munsterbear.
Most of you seem to think that these people are the streets are good for nothing yobs scrounging and begging for money because they're just too "lazy" to do anything else.
The vast majority of people in those situations are innocent, decent people who are simply victims of poor circumstance, who just want enough money or food to survive into the next day. It's *never* as clear cut as it looks, as I've discovered myself sitting with these people on a regular basis.
A few quid in their hands will go a lot further than your DVD rental or six-pack of beer will. Remember that when you're eating a six course meal at home while they're sleeping in a cardboard box. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/19/2009 2:06:07 PM | | Oh for Gods sake..... would ye listen to yourselves....some of ye who posted about the indecency of the homeless begging in your vicinity ...now admiring the post of someone defending the same people...listen to yourselves ...which is it ...you people..make up yere minds....!! | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/19/2009 3:01:25 PM | | mir the first half of my post was written with my tongue firmly in my cheek, i stated my position clearly in the last line, sorry if it was too vague!! | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/19/2009 3:52:22 PM | You cannot outlaw begging as such.
However I wonder why I always see irish blokes in Temple Bar begging and they have shoes that are more expensive than mine! | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/19/2009 5:18:35 PM | | its all run by the criminal gangs , these beggars are all only part of a bigger organisations , and if any of us normall hard working folk was til try it for once it wouldnt be tolong i assure ya til the gaurds/psni moved us along | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/19/2009 6:18:42 PM | For the defenders of the victims of poverty on our streets I will say this. Our government should do something about it- that’s why we pay taxes.
Of course we should be compassionate about those who are less well off but that does not mean that I should be harassed by vagrants while I try to enjoy my coffee at a sidewalk café or be accosted by a tramp sitting on front of an ATM as I attempt to withdraw my money.
In a civilised society the less well off should be catered for by the appropriate authorities. Furthermore those who are deemed to be defrauding the public and thus making life even more miserable for the genuinely needy should be arrested and dealt with a body such as CAB to recover any moneys deemed to be excessive earnings. In the right circumstances organised bands of beggars can make a surprisingly lucrative living. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/20/2009 6:16:49 AM | Scenic...point taken.... ...note to self ...must read posts properly | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/20/2009 8:36:53 AM | "its all run by the criminal gangs , these beggars are all only part of a bigger organisations."
Please tell me this is a joke. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/27/2009 9:19:46 AM | Looks like you're on a roll TDW.
Don't worry, I'm not going to waste my time responding to rampant trolls like yourself. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/27/2009 3:00:35 PM | "There but for the grace of God go I"
Now I'm far from religious but i always feel that i have been lucky enough to afford a semi decent life. Who's to say though that next year it won't be any of us? No one knows for sure what's ahead of them.
When i see someone sleeping on a door step, Bono is the furthest thought from my mind. I think, that person is someones brother, sister, father, mother etc. They probably had a better life somewhere once. Through bad luck\ bad choices, drugs \ alcohol, whatever reason.... they find themselves lying there in that box, freezing, hungry, cold, wet.
Spare change? Damn right i have. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/27/2009 6:35:36 PM |
Spare change? Damn right i have.
You must be blessed with alot of spare change. I'm approached at least 20 times a day for spare change. If I were to give say €1 to each , that would cost me minimum €140 per week!
I can think of better things to do with my spare change!
By the way homeless people do get the dole. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/28/2009 2:30:37 AM | I'm not blessed with having lots of spare change. In the area i live there are no homeless, there are no beggers. I only see this when i go to a big city or town.
I can totally understand your frustration with the situation. As someone who doesn't have to deal with it on a "day in, day out" basis i suppose my glasses are very "rose tinted" on the situation. Yes, our government should do more, but without pressure from the public nothing will change. In fact, it's going to get much worse due to the current ecomonic climate.
On a personal note (and i can only speak from personal experience) if i had change in my pocket and seen someone clearly in distress then i wouldint pass them by without at least trying to help. Easing my social conscience? possibly.
In this day and age no one should be living in 3rd world conditions in a deveoped country such as ours. Seeing a child begging is just heart breaking, and i know in some cases they are sent out to beg because of the emotional effect it has on people. It's truly awful.
When we close our doors at night, wrap up warm in our beds, tuck our kids in and kiss them good night, how many of us give a second thought to these people? Some of whom do not make it through the night. If my €2 or €5 can make some poor unfortunates day a little brighter then i guess i dont mind being that egit that just cant say no.
Easy victim should be tatooed on my forehead LOL | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/28/2009 3:35:34 AM |
gosh yes isn't it terrible that those scruffy smelly urchins get int the way of our Sunday morning stroll and brunch, why hasn't the government cleaned up that mess. tsk tsk.
The streets of our cities should only be used by stylish well heeled people who read the guardian and go to galleries. And if you are homeless and hungry, why just pick yourself up by your bootstraps and get a job. Or else have the decency to do your begging in the parts of town where we dont frequent.
good stuff scenic, though I think you'll find those people tend to read the Daily Mail and or the Express  | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/28/2009 4:36:14 PM | cailinmáith
That was a good post and I do understand where you are coming from. I suppose what I'm really saying is that I cannot care about all the ill’s of the world.
My motto is to take care of the people I know and love. There is a practical limit to what I can do for the rest. Occasionally I come across particularly wretched people begging for help and I do help them. However I do agree with you in saying that at an official level more efficient efforts should be made to rectify the problem of destitution on our streets. When one thinks about all the wrongs in this country that aren’t necessary it can make ones blood boil; I could pontificate about it for ever but what’s the use?
Personally I'm particularly interested in programs which promote the welfare of children. If intervention is there early enough it can make a huge difference. I do believe that if children are associated with begging in any way on the streets they should immediately be taken into care. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/28/2009 6:00:51 PM | ah GDAE come on, talk to any person on the streets and ask them where they came from, the Care System!! Jesus! Really do you live in an ivory tower somewhere? must have a lovely life, good for you and those you care about but come on you seem like an intelligent man so there is no excuse for your ignorance on the complexities of the topic. It is a well know fact that the best institution is still worse then the worst family home. Fact.
Welfare of children is welfare of families, the parents included. even drug addicted homeless prostitutes, keep families together and support them and the homeless problem will begin to improve. tearing children who love their families away putting them in homes with other abused children and its just a mini prison to them. so at 17 when the sate no longer has responsibility for them and they have no attachement to their families they were taken away from at a young age, and they have no coping skills because they have a myriad of emotioional and psychological problems where do you think these kids end up? On our streets and in our prisons and the cycle continues becasue they also have sexual needs and will reproduce ant their kids will end up the same. I know I worked in the area for a few years and i couldnt work in a system when every part of my being screamed this is wrong. | |
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| Beggars on our streets?
Posted: 7/28/2009 6:43:30 PM | Scenicgirl
As it so happens I worked in the area (working with disadvantaged kids in care) also.
Granted the care system is nothing to write home about but it’s naive to assume that all kids are better off under the guardianship of abusive parents. Some parents or guardians are clearly unfit and a downright danger to their children. Actually most of the kids in care that I encountered had ran away from severely abusive home situations preferring the atrocious conditions of living rough on the streets to the alternative at home.
I'm saying that a responsible society should do all in its power at an official level to ensure that innocent children are given an appropriate chance. I'm sure you must agree in principle with that.
I am talking about parents who deliberately deny their children the opportunities they deserve by using them as pawns in the begging game on the streets! I have no hesitation in recommending that those children be taken into care and their parents be gaoled /deported whatever for their grotesque transgressions………………………………….smile!
P.S . your attempt to patronise me is merely impertinent! I forgive you. | |
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