‘Professional beggars’ in receipt of €3,000 per month in state payouts operating in Mayo, says Cllr

An Independent Councillor for Westport, County Mayo has said that “professional beggars”, some of whom are in receipt of thousands of euros in state benefits per month, are engaged in begging in parts of Mayo. 

As reported by Mayo News, a meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District heard calls for by-laws to be passed to ban begging lest towns and villages be ‘taken over’ by beggars this summer. 

Cllr. Christy Hylland said that he was personally aware that individuals regularly involved in begging in Westport are in receipt of €3,000 per month in state benefits and are housed in Castlebar. 

Hyland said he has “ investigated” the matter and found that the same individuals are being “supported by the Department of Social Welfare” and are “on housing assistance.”

He said that begging was “happening extensively” and is “organised”. 

“People are dropped off early in the morning and they target a town for a number of hours every day.” he said adding that he had “done research” into the matter. 

He continued, [T]hey went into a business recently in Westport where they cashed in the coins that they gathered during the day. They got €180 back in notes.”

Hyland said,“I want us to work together and see what we can do so that people are not annoyed or obstructed in Westport or other towns by these people begging. There is no need for them to be begging. We have one of the best social welfare systems in Europe.”

The Cllr. said that he believes this behaviour “is going to take off big time in Westport.”

“There are two or three there at the moment and if we don’t deal with it and nip it in the bud there will be ten of them on the streets in July and August.” he said adding that this has happened in Galway and other big towns. 

Speaking on Midwest Radio Hyland said that beggars had been observed returning to their car after a day of begging and sitting on the seat with their feet on the ground to replace their worn out looking shoes with better ones now that their day of begging was over. 

He urged members of the public to “be careful” saying that some of the people engaged in begging were “con artists”. 

“This is a racket,” he said, adding that he had approached one of the beggars and had a conversation with him only for the man to “suddenly” claim he “couldn’t speak English” when Hyland “broached further” questions.