Street begging 'rampant' in Kerry towns as gardaí pledge a crackdown

Business owners increasingly concerned over amount of begging in Co Kerry towns. Picture: Leah Farrell

Street begging is rampant in Kerry towns in the run-up to Christmas, with members of the public being harassed, a meeting of the county’s policing body has been told.

Senior gardaí in Co Kerry told the annual general meeting of the Kerry Joint Policing Committee they are aware of the problem, particularly in Killarney and Tralee, and pledged a crackdown.

They were responding to Independent Castleisland councillor Charlie Farrelly who had raised the issue, saying "a lot of people are being harassed with people begging on the streets of our towns".

Chief Superintendent Padraic Powell said he had witnessed the problem firsthand while walking in the town centres of Killarney and Tralee. Where appropriate, people would be moved on and prosecuted by gardaí, he said. A policing plan for the Christmas period was in operation and this would target such activity, he said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Niall Kelleher, chairman of the Kerry JPC, said public representatives in Killarney had approached some of those begging in the town and offered to find them accommodation if they needed it , "but there was no take up" of their offers.

The meeting also heard that shoplifting was of major concern to business owners in Tralee, Killarney and Listowel. 

Theft from shops was up 61% in a year, the meeting was told, with 753 thefts from shops  (over two thefts per day) recorded by gardaí in 2023.

However, the last quarter of 2023 was beginning to see a decline after a number of measures by gardaí and the courts and a special operation by the JPC crime prevention unit.

That operation, codenamed Operation Tairge had been launched in response to the spike in shoplifting in Kerry. It was proactive campaign to work with shopowners and was data-driven, with shops, items, streets and locations as well as in-store locations recorded.

Shop owners had been advised about better protecting certain items and displays, the meeting was told, and particular streets and shops identified and thieves caught.

Gardaí were successfully objecting to bail in the the courts and curfews were also being imposed, Supt Powell said. 

Individuals were not being allowed into town centres in Tralee, Killarney and Listowel under the measures.

‘We are conscious of the effect on the business community. The final quarter is seeing a significant reduction,’ Supt Powell said.

A handful of individuals rather than organised crime from outside was responsible, Supt Powell said in response to questions from Sinn Féin TD and justice spokesman Pa Daly.