Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I thank the Minister's officials and the Minister. I wish to enter a plea along the lines of what Deputy Ó Snodaigh said about the fear that this Bill will be used against common or garden beggars or buskers or people on the streets. I have heard many Ministers down the years give commitments in the House about what they intended but this does not count for very much if the Garda Síochána of the day decides to use this legislation against the common or garden beggar or somebody playing music in Grafton Street, for instance. The courts will look at the written word rather than the intention of the sponsoring Minister. I sincerely hope that this will not happen.

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