Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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Question 201: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the number of persons who have been arrested for begging in Dublin in 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41809/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose.

I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy.

In a judgement on 4 December, 2007 the High Court held section 3 of the Vagrancy (Ireland) Act 1847, under which prosecutions for begging were brought, to be unconstitutional. The Criminal Justice (Public Order) Bill 2010, currently before the House, provides for measures to control anti-social behaviour associated with begging.