"Awful laws, get them gone!" demand as begging and rough sleeping plans emerge

A Northern Ireland minister is seeking opinions on decriminalising begging and rough sleeping laws that punish the homeless. Some Belfast Live readers in our comments section welcome the effort, but others still have wider concerns about the country's rough sleepers.

Under current legislation, it is a criminal offence to sleep rough on the streets or to beg. Justice Minister Naomi Long has published a consultation on the repeal of section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824 and section 3 of the Vagrancy (Ireland) Act 1847.

Long said: “I do not believe it is appropriate to criminalise people who are simply begging but who are not otherwise behaving in a way that would attract criminal sanction. I am fully aware that begging and rough sleeping are often linked to underlying issues, such as poverty, alcohol and drug addiction, poor mental health, sexual and domestic abuse, and family breakdown.

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“These are complex and cross-cutting issues which require a multi-agency response of support rather than criminalising people under arcane laws simply because of their personal circumstances.”

Reader Judgement22 writes: "I finished up homeless at one point many years ago, it was a miserable existence but preferable to the dangerous and violent world of the hostels. Not everyone on the street is a drunk or druggie."

Commenter Nettlestings says: "Those laws were made by people who never have had to sleep rough and go hungry... There should be laws that everyone has a roof over their heads, and food." Shamrock2024 agrees: "Awful laws, get them gone!"

JohnM1971 would still have concerns: "Rough sleeping, yes. Begging, no - there are career beggars in city centre fleecing people out of hundreds of pound with their fake sympathy vote."

On our Facebook page, Ruth Bayles writes: "It is so sad that anyone has to beg to survive. These people need our help and support, not punishment."

Debbie Elaine says: "Government should be doing more to help the homeless, it's heartbreaking that anyone is sleeping rough. But there are also organised gangs out professional 'begging' which should be questioned by police, I'm not sure they're all there by choice."

Tucker Shortt says: "I agree some are organised. But have you ever been skint? It’s really sad."

The Department is particularly keen to hear from key stakeholders, including those involved in the delivery of health and social care and organisations within the voluntary and community sector which provide support to people begging or sleeping rough.

The consultation can be viewed on the Department of Justice website here.

Have your say! What support should Northern Ireland introduce to reduce homelessness? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.