asked the Minister for Justice whether, in view of the approach of the tourist season, the Garda will be instructed to ensure that itinerants will not be allowed to badger tourists for money at the main tourist centres, particularly outside the principal hotels in Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Begging by Itinerants.
19.
The Garda in Dublin receive special instructions on this matter at the commencement of each tourist season and they do their best to keep the nuisance to a minimum. I might mention that, in 1966, 89 adults and seven juveniles were prosecuted for begging offences in the central city area.
Is the Minister aware that recently some American tourists who arrived here on the floating university informed me that they were badgered persistently by some of these itinerant children? One girl complained that two or three of these young children attached themselves to her and would not let her go until she had parted with some money. Another man paid up to get rid of them. Is the Minister also aware that various complaints have been received from visitors to this country? It is doing us a lot of harm. Visitors ask a lot of questions about these people and as to why they are there. Furthermore, is the Minister aware that the adults as well as the children are threatening visitors to this city? Would he please ask his Department to badger the Garda about preventing this nuisance? It is creating a very bad image.
Is it all right for them to badger the natives? Is it only the Americans they must not badger?
The natives know how to deal with them.
It is not exclusive to itinerants.
I will ask the Garda to be vigilant about this matter.
They would have to be very hot to get money out of some of these people.