1,322 children forced to beg in Dublin

MORE than 1,000 children were forced to beg on Dublin’s streets in the past year and to survive in appalling conditions.

Most of these children who come from the Travelling community are facing a bleak future, an ISPCC report to be launched today reveals.

And the ISPCC wants Minister for Children Brian Lenihan to spearhead an inter-agency response to this problem.

"We are seriously concerned about the appalling conditions these children are forced to live in they must be given the same rights and protection as other children," ISPCC Leanbh service manager Tracy Bolger said.

The ISPCC believes lack of facilities for children at the halting sites is forcing them into the city to beg.

"Irish society has failed these children, begging does not come naturally to them they do it because of the appalling conditions they live in," MS Bolger said.

The ISPCC wants all the agencies dealing with children local authorities, health boards and the Department of Education to work together to solve this problem.

Brian Lenihan must take a pro-active role in coordinating the response because there is an obligation on the State to protect and nurture these children," Ms Bolger added.

Mr Lenihan said he would be more than willing to spearhead an inter-agency response to the problem. But he stressed the State's "carrot and stick" strategy in tackling the numbers of children begging in the streets has already worked.

"Begging is illegal under the Children's Act 2001 and the Gardaí have been active in stopping children begging by reducing the numbers by 444 in the past year," Mr Lenihan said.

The State has also provided the ISPCC's outreach group, Leanbh, with funding in the past year to help them reduce the numbers of children begging on the streets.

The ISPCC leanbh survey, Working with Children who Beg, found 1,322 children sighted begging on Dublin streets in the past year included 1,016 Travellers, 252 Romanians, 48 homeless and 18 others.

Leanbh helped 62 of them to stop begging and also provided therapeutic help to 77 children and 26 families.

Next year it plans to improve its service by setting up a day centre in the city to offer an alternative to begging families. And it will give financial help to Traveller families to help buy trailers or improve their accommodation.

Meanwhile, Focus Ireland yesterday warned 300 people are being forced to sleep on Dublin Streets because there is not enough accommodation.

The homeless organisation stressed it is a nationwide problem and there are at least 6,000 people homeless or in unsuitable accommodation.

Focus Ireland chief executive Declan Jones called on the Government to reverse its cutbacks on social housing its recent changes in the Planning Act.