Garda crackdown on bogus charity collectors

Gardaí in Killarney, Co Kerry, have pledged to continue a crackdown on bogus charity collectors.

The public have also been asked to report suspicious behaviour by collectors to gardaí in the Co Kerry town.

Killarney Independent county councillor Donal Grady, who had previously raised the issue, yesterday welcomed Garda efforts to apprehend rogue collectors, but said there was a need for an ongoing campaign.

He also urged charities to carefully vet people who collect for them and said Dublin-based judges should stop issuing permits for countrywide collections.

“Some permits are being issued in Dublin at will, without any consultation with senior gardaí in towns like Killarney, which are being targeted by collectors because these towns draw large numbers of people, especially during the summer season,” said Mr Grady.

Calling for stricter laws to control street collections and the people collecting, Mr Grady said he had seen four or five different collections by outsiders in Killarney on the same day.

Gardaí have confirmed that some convicted criminals have been collecting in the town for charities.

At Killarney District Court, in June, two men found collecting funds for a charity without a permit were prosecuted and were each ordered to pay €2,000 to the court poor box.

Meanwhile, a Garda spokesman said they would continue to focus on bogus collectors. All collectors must have permits, he pointed out.

The spokesperson added: “If people are donating they should check the permit and, if they have any doubts, they should contact the charity, or the gardaí.”