THE numbers of people begging on city centre streets are growing and the issue is one that is causing increasing concern to Limerick’s business sector.
Another bone of contention is the painting of graffiti on the walls of business premises.
When a deputation of Limerick traders took their concerns to City Hall about the critical decline of footfall in the city and other factors that ere adversely impacting on the city’s ability to attract shoppers and compete effectively with the suburban retail parks, one of the negative factors they called on City Hall to take action on, was the harassment that shoppers are subjected to by people begging on the streets.
When the issue was again recently raised at a meeting of Limerick City Council, the director of services, Caroline Curley, said that legislation is currently going through the Dail to tighten up on the law in relation to begging.
“We will wait for this legislation to go through before we change our bye laws in relation to begging and in relation to graffiti – this is a problem.
“It is against the law but we are reliant on the Garda Siochana to catch the culprits”.
