Once give a fiver to a guy in a doorway who was in a sleeping bag,he told me to f*** off he was queueing for the sale.It was St Stephans day and it was an Next store.Morto!

not any more, i bought a sambo instead and gave it to a begger on Grafton Street, but was told to go”f88k yourself, where is the money”

was speechless, sambo hit the spot nicely

No point in feeding an addiction. Give them a sandwich or a cup of tea/coffee/soup.

Anyone who is willing to sit out on the cold street to scrape together a few bob must be in a pretty terrible place. I’ve had it incredibly easy. Who am I to judge anyone? My one rule is I don’t give to people who sit at ATM’s or people who are aggressive obviously.

A homeless man approached me outside Heuston station a couple of years ago. He was about 60 years of age.
He said would I give him a Euro for a can of beer. I gave it to him as he was upfront and honest.

Just for the record, that particular homeless man you have in your picture is not homeless, He also has a lot of shoes over the years that people give him when they walk by.. What he does is when he is given a pair of shoes, he runs around the corner and gives it to his accomplice and goes back to begging. Nothing but a scam artist

Putting money into a box will not get homeless people off the streets, which seems to be the main aim of Dublin City Business Improvement District. Need to start looking at root causes of homelessness. Addiction is a factor but not the main reason for someone being on the street. It is time we finally start to address homelessness in this country.

The shoeless beggar should be arrested! It is a scam that works! How does someone manage to come through emigration who doesn’t speak English and claims they are here to work etc. EU rules need to be looked at we have enough of a problem with homeless people without people coming into the country to take advantage.

There is a woman who has been standing near Grafton St. for years.
Every day she moans in an unbelievably iritating voice…

**I need your help**
… or the now classic …
**Please help, I am very hungry**

Yet, she has become progressively fatter & better dressed every year.
She is an exploitative fraud!!

I used to give money to people on the street until a couple of years ago when the guy saw there was a couple of hundred euro in my wallet, grabbed it, knocked me to the floor smashing my two front teeth, which needed dental implants to replace them, so my charitable act ended up costing me over €6000!!

Needless to say I won’t be giving anything to street people again.

There are so many people that survive adequately on social welfare. So if someone is begging on the street, their problem is something greater than lack of money. By donating to beggars, you are only enabling someone’s refusal to deal with their real issues, like addiction and/or metal health. Better to donate to charities that work to mitigate the problems that force people to beg in the first place.

Saw the best begger sign ever in Galway the last day “hey I just met you, and this is crazy, but give me money, I’m fu#king lazy” I had to give him 10c for that!

I work for a charity and volunteer for another charity but would still give money to people on the street. Im a real sucker for the bloke with the dog and rabbit. During a christmas night out in 09 of the big snow it was 3am pelting down and minus a lot of degrees and there was an old woman cowering on the ground getting covered in snow and we gave her every single penny we had I honestly didnt care what she did with it at that point good or bad that was no night to be judging anyone.

When i was younger, i used to drop my loose change into the hats/jars/tins. Because of the stories that came out, that showed a certain percentage of ‘beggars’ are actually part of a lucrative crime ring, i stopped giving altogether. I feel bad about it, because, i know there are probably more genuine beggars in need, than are part of the organised rings…. :(

I know a lad that stays in a hostel in Dublin City centre, he said the majority of people staying there are drug addicts. Every day they go to there “tapping spot” as they call it and told him they can make up to €200 a day

I do Soup Runs in town with a charity, so I do not give out money because you do not want to start discriminating between different people. You do feel dreadful though when they are asking for money to get into a hostel that night, and you know by the look of them that they might not survive another night sleeping rough. Cups of tea, soup and sandwiches will only go so far, some of the homeless need the money to get into a hostel at night. So begging is at times the only solution for them to get somewhere to sleep that night.

Anyone remember the story a whole back about the politician who said that there are only a few homeless in ireland and that the person who gave the proper numbers was exaggerating.

Seen a guy on Henry st with no shoes on shivering in the cold begging
Told him to move over to the other side of the street were the sun was shining to keep warmer

I would still give money to homeless people who are going to spend money on booze or drugs because:

1. That’s how I spend a lot of my money anyway, the rest i just waste on bills and rent and stuff.
2. I”ts going to bring some bit of happynesss to their pretty crap life.
3. Who is anyone to judge what they decide to take.. If someone can get any kind of drugs for the €2 i give them good luck to them.

But yeah I agree I’ll never give to roma gypsies, Children begging or people using children to beg (usually roma), people who sit near ATMs or are in any way pushy or agressive or people oviously puttin on some kind of a show, i.e not wearing shoes.

Im rarely in town on a night out these days… But id always take 5 mins for a chat, i think you can then tell if they’re genuine or not. Not everyone is in on a scam, and i was always thought to help those less fortunate. Few mins of your time and a few quid if you have it goes along way for the genuine cases.

There are a couple of genuine peolpe out there begging for help but be warned there are gangs of bogus beggers out there and many of the are Irish aswell as Roma. I work the nights in Dublin city and have seen these guys taking off there fancy trainers to guilt people into giving the money smokes and food and they make a small fortune. I have watched them badger people at ATM machines and the poor sod getting their money from the ATM is guilted into giving somthing. Make no mistake, Good hearted people are giving thousands to con artists everynight in this country But then when i think of it we the irish are good at being taken for a ride and it’s seems we will never learn .

Not to that guy in the picture. He does this act like he is shivering in the middle of summer.

Not everybody who is on the streets suffer from addiction problems.
Some have just gotten themselves into a bad situation and rely on the kindness of strangers to see them through until things improve for them.
Some people have no one to lean on when things go wrong in their lives.
So I have to say I do not agree with this,
they want to discourage giving to everyone who needs help,
and only give to those with addiction problems.. This is incredibly wrong and narrow sighted.
Everyone has a different story.

Anybody ever see that oldish man with the long white beard who begs on his knees? Saw him a while back once or twice in town. Wonder what his story is…?

If someone approaches me collecting for a charity and they can’t breakdown the costs and how much actually goes to the people they are collecting for,I send them on their way.Most charities are businesses and very little of the money actually goes to the people that really need it.

I always find it funny when people say, ‘I wouldn’t give it to them, only spend it on drugs and drink’, and then the same people go home and get stoned and have 10 cans of Lidl’s finest, but it’s okay, they’re doing it indoors! Who are we to judge what homeless people spend their money on, if you are on the streets every day surely you want to block out reality, I’m not saying it’s right, but most Irish people spend money on alcohol every week, why should a homeless person do any different, should they spend the money on How to Learn Chinese tapes or Dostoevsky novels?!

I do both,but tend to give just small change to someone on the street mainly to those that arent haressing u for money and then give larger to charities..anyone of us can easily be in that position one day,unfortunately you never know whats around the corner,so save the judgement for then

That shoeless begger is part of an organised Roma Gypsy group. He’s seen at Westland Row some mornings. He arrives with someone, he takes his shoes and socks of, pops them in the other persons bag and positions himself! His colleague then heads off! Give to a charity like Simon or Focus and not to these scam artists!

I usually give something to the guy with the rabbit if I see him, no one else though.

I give a few bob to beggars, I give to charities too but am aware that they have a very bossy attitude to clients. An example of this is that homeless people cannot bring a dog to a homeless shelter. As a dog is a great companion, guardian and warner upper this is cruel.

A friend of mine bought a pair of shoes for a beggar who had no shoes down on Henry St. The beggar took them and my friend went away thinking he had done a good deed.

However, the next day the beggar was on Henry St again without any shoes…

Would generally buy a meal with a hot drink for someone if I can afford it. Can’t be easy being homeless,

I am really surprised how many people say no, there wouldn’t be so many people begging if there was no money in it. I worked with a homeless charity for a while and I decided I wouldn’t give money to people on the street any more after that -(I did once this year, but I just had a huge rush of pity for the guy). But there’s obviously people doing it all the time.

As much as I love being able to give to genuine cases, out on the street it’s so hard to know who the genuine ones are. For all the ones who sit quietly in doorways, and thank you for giving them money, there’s others who follow you along the street and harass you, until it gets really scary. If I have a few coins handy I try to give them to the ones who look genuine, but I try to never take my purse out of my bag out on the street, as anyone could run up and snatch it, especially if I’m on my own. I’ve had a few scary incidents over the years, from the man on South George’s St who tried to get me to give him money if he told me jokes, and wouldn’t go away for a good few minutes, to the Bosnian women in Paris who followed me right down the street, screaming and begging, and I couldn’t get away from them. I prefer giving to charities, bcos it’s safer, and you know the right people are getting your money!

Someone should organise a campaign against corporate begging, that’s the type of begging that makes people homeless by robbing ordinary people to create overly generous tax breaks for the wealthy. Recently we have seen a report that exposes how much of corporate America spends more on lobbying than it does on taxes… a complete abuse of democratic processes, and the same thing happens here. Btw if I gave money to someone begging I would rather they spend it on drugs than some christian redemption bullshit!

I would give to a beggar if I could,you cannot know what anyone’s circumstances are, The one that has addiction needs a fix as much as the one that is hungry needs food, making them suffer and judging them is not going to make them seek help.Show a little compassion the world is harsh enough and count your blessings-it could be you or someone you love

I do give to people begging on the street. I work in homeless services so it’s relatively easy to know who is genuine and who isn’t. I don’t give money to anyone in the city I work in as I know most of them but I do in other cities.
I don’t believe that this is “feeding an addiction” I see it as risk minimisation in that if an addict gets enough from begging s/he is less likely to mug someone – an addict needs the money and generally won’t stay out longer than necessary.

There is a group of non-nationals that tour Cork on a regular basis begging or “busking” ( they just squeeze an accordion randomly) while 2 males watch over them and collect the money off them. As I travel around a lot and so did my flatmate we spotted them in the course of 1 week in 5 different locations in Cork. Tuesday was Mallow, Wednesday was Macroom and Thursday was Middleton. Needless to day the never got a cent off me.

Who I do take care of when I can are Irish homeless people but I generally try to give them food or soup etc. Having known people personally who for one reason or the other who have had to live rough it is a fate that I would wish on no-one.

“Proceeds from the boxes will go to the registered charity Tiglin, which supports people with addiction issues.” Assuming all people that beg on our streets have an addiction…

I give money to beggars, but am very selective in doing so. The Roma don’t get a penny for example, as their begging is an industry. I also try to avoid giving money to those that appear to be either junkie or wino.

People that genuinely appear to be homeless I will give money to as often as possible. This “give them a sandwich” bullshit doesn’t cut it – perhaps they’ve just eaten. Let them spend the money their own way.

There’s a woman who sits on O’Connell bridge. I don’t know why but she doesn’t seem like the usual junky begger. She looks quite genuine to have just fallen in hard times. But I think a lot of them have homes and are just out to make an easy few quid

There was a Roma Gypsy around our Local church and she was serious annoying .The cops were called and they intervened. She tried to get her child down the stairs and the garda being a gentleman took hold of the pram himself and carried it down the stairs,She walked off and 2 mins later the garda was looking in his pockets and he realised his wallet was missing !. Thats a true story they are unreal !.

I used to, but not anymore. Over the past one to two years there’s been a real upsurge that I’ve seen in aggressive/threatening behaviour from beggars and I’m really kind of through with encouraging them to hang around particular public places where a lot of people more vulnerable than me seem to get targeted,

I give a few quid as often as i can. What they do with the money is of no concern to me, i refuse to judge them or be presumptuous. It could be any of us in their place so a few euro and a smile or handshake could make the world of difference to those poor souls

Nah don’t give anything, Ireland has a social welfare system for people and by all accounts it’s one of the most generous in the EU

The best beggar i seen had a sign around his neck it read” need money for weed , honestly” you just had to give him something

Everyone of them is entitled to social welfare. I used to think that if they didn’t have an address they couldn’t get it but it turns out they have special offices that give it to them on a daily basis so they have money every day for a shelter and food. There was a lovely old man who used to beg outside the bank at trinity, always with dignity, never said a word, just held his cap out. I felt sorry for him, thought he was an old country man fallen on hard times. Afterwards I started working in a restaurant that he used to bring his money into to change it into notes, he was on well over £200 a day, 20 years ago, pre boom and pre euro. That is why people beg. The amount of begging going on is seriously damaging our tourist industry and there should be a clampdown.

Unfortunately it’s impossible to judge a beggar’s circumstances or integrity based on their nationality, or their shoe wearing status. Professional beggars can take 400-500 euro (tax free) per day in the right spot. I’m not sure how long it takes most people to earn that. I don’t judge these people either way, but I’d give to registered charities before giving direct as I feel more assured the money will be spent prudently.

Don’t give anything to the homeless. Donate through your preferred charities but do NOT enable these people. Instead, be kind and down to Earth with them. Despite what you may think, it’s pretty lonely being there.

in a country that is awash with empty houses,office blocks, commercial premisis ,factory’s etc why is there any need for people to be ‘homeless’? government policies and the greed of the banks are only forcing more people onto the streets,houses being repossesd then boarded up ,unsold for month’s or years, maybe if this government showed as much concern for it’s people as it does for the imf,ecb,troika and fatcat bankers homelessness would not be such a problem. there will always have the odd few who say they don’t want to be helped and little or nothing can be done to help them, but in most cases these people just need a chance to get their lives back in order, and having somewhere to call ‘home’ is the biggest step in doing this. i only have a small income and will give the odd few bob to people on the streets but only those who are making some sort of effort , for example there is a guy down around clonmel in tipp who ‘plays’ an accordian , it aint the philharmonic orchestra, but he gives it a go, always has a smile on his face and a thank you for everyone passing, even if they dont give anything, but i have also seen the other side of begging, a group of women being dropped off in a carpark ,some with young children ,others with very small babies, they then split up and sit in various locations around the own, outside atm’s mc donalds etc, asking for “money for baby”. after an hour or so they will get up ,move on and sometimes pass the baby on to another woman who takes up their place. meanwhile you will find the ‘men’ of these people walking a few yards from where the women sit, watchin every move and every penny that goes into the cup, endlessly lighting up ciggerettes, the men alwaysseem to have money for tabacco or ciggies, around 5.30 the van will return and all he women (and their minders) will meet up in the carpark, get into the van and drive off, these same groups of women can often be seen in different towns on different days.

I once gave 10 euro to a guy who was sleeping outside the Bar Council and he threw the money back at me shouting: ‘I don’t need your money’. That’s when I stopped giving. I was extremely embarrassed.
it’s more a lifestyle rather than an unfortunate situation. I see them often emptying coke bottles to fill them with booze or trading fags for whatever pills they get.
I used to work with charities but in my experience they just don’t want to help themselves.
When you have a bed available and you ask him why didn’t you sleep here last night and the answer is …I forgot to call you start wondering.

Few weeks back I had just gotten some good news from the hospital for a change, was walking to get a coffee outside the hospital and, feeling generous, asked a homeless guy would he like tea or coffee and a sandwich on my return. I had a decent chat with him and he ended up walking to the shop with me. He was just a decent guy down on his luck.

I’d do that now over and over rather than give to the guy sitting on his shoes (regardless of where they are from).

I leave money to some. The ones that really look like they deserve or need it. It is horrible but most people begging have jobs or another income and/or junkies or have some addiction and I am not feeding that. You just don’t know anymore and it is horrible.

I do love giving money to buskers that are nice friendly and great musicians in a hard place.

Sure I haven’t a pot to piss in let alone give money away

The law should be changed to make the giving of money to a beggar a crime. That would work better

I give money to people in the street and speak to them. It may be the only bit of human contact they get in the day. People don’t sit on the street unless they have to. God love them.

I would what other charities think about this move by Dublin City Business Improvement District. They are doing just as hard a job with less donations than ever, and DCBID is promoting just one charity – a Christian charity that originated in the US, which has the ability to help just 40 people? I dunno, how did this partnership between Tiglin and DCBID happen?

Of course any Irish begged or traveller could go on to further education if they had the opportunity but the Roma’s don’t want to integrate. All they want is what the get for nothing of steal. They’re dangerous parasites

If so many of the commentators here give homeless people sandwiches and coffee, as they are saying, how do they get time to beg? They should be eating all the time. I give occasionally, but I would be bankrupt if I gave to everyone, and I also give to charities. I never give to people at ATMs or parking meters. Well, hardly ever.

To give a person money if begging dis-empowers and further adds to one feeling marginalized. Most people that beg are genuinely experiencing homelessness and are asking for money from people because there is no other way to pay for a service charge for a bed for a night! There’s only a select few that beg because they can not because they’re desperate and need to.

@Floodzie so because i spelled something wrong is your arguement? maybe i have a problem with spelling. or maybe because i was using my phone and my hands are freezing cold so im hitting other buttons by mistake, but congratulations on the bully remark, i will await your wedgy kind sir. it must be so nice to be perfect. and either way they came over from romania and the money is being sent to romania.

@Donal Rafferty thank you for explaining in a nice way. i apologise if my comment sounded ignorant i honestly didnt know there was a difference. thanks again

I try to give something if I have spare as my mum would say there for the grace of god go I

I give when the urge hits me. I figure if your job is to sit and humiliate yourself begging for money then u deserve a few bob. Just like the line from the lotto “it could be you” so I give when I can. Also I don’t like giving to charities because by the time their CEO gets paid €100k and who ever else, I figure not so much goes to those to whom it should go to. But I am a cynical gombeen

whenever we went to dublin i always told the kids to give something to anyone on the halfpenny bridge.we would be spending a lot of money and for the ones that were junkies there might be a genuine homeless person.(there but for the grace etc etc )

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2051482/Child-beggars-young-making-100-000-year-gypsy-gangs.html

The Roma community don’t want to integrate I know a Roma riel who begs outside a car park in Dublin and she told someone who offered her a job she couldn’t take it because she always had to wear her long skirt and scarf and also when she was pregnant was given tea and had her coins changed by a kind shop who she stole from. Nice. They dangerous parasites

There’s a Roma girl sells the big issue outside a car park on Dublin pleasant girl, good English and when she was pregnant a small shop owner in the area used to sit her down give her tea and change her coins into notes for her,until she saw caught her putting stock in her bag and under he’d skirt.

I used to, but I was disgusted to find that the people I gave to went on a regular train back to their hostel!! So I gave up in disgust.

I’d give a sandwich and a coffee, or something along those lines. Money may not be used wisely by some.

The barefoot begger & all the other aggressive beggars in O’Connell Street should be “moved on” it is very distressing for people who have lived in this country all their working lives and paid their taxes etc, getting NO free benefits.Yes you may see a Garda on duty “NOW AND AGAIN” but one morning I went to relate to A Garda “it looks like the Centra shop had a break -in”…he turned and said”I’m on duty at G.P.O.”….enough said

If they sing or dance. I give them something.

No they get enough of our hard earned money we’re struggling to keep roof over our heads and noone will give us charity

I gave someone money last year- big mistake. A few weeks ago I bought a guy a sandwich, a much better idea.
Giving money only encourages the begging. It needs to stop.

Give them nothing.. Wasters !!

Well Ireland was once a place that we all cared about each other now we could not give a shit about our selfs never mind each other

I’m nearly sorry I commented here now, seems to add some credence to the typical hyperbola and racism directed at beggars… There’s always someone worse than yourself, hope the weather stays good up there… on your high horse! Shame!

I have bought them a sandwich or somethibg to eat. In case they spend the money on drugs or drink.

James. Nobody ruin anything, gypsies are everywhere in this world, it s gypsies there more educated than you with good jobs and university’s… of those who make problems must deal with the authorities and not let the them on the streets