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Leon Farrell via Photocall Ireland

There has been a 94% drop in child begging cases being reported in Dublin since 1999

The ISPCC want you to report to it if you see a child begging.

THERE HAS BEEN a huge reduction in the number of  sightings of children and young people begging in Dublin city centre.

Leanbh, which is an ISPCC service which aims to stop child begging, revealed to TheJournal.ie that sightings have decreased by 94% in the last 14 years from 1999 to 2013.

The charity received 2,938 reported sightings of children begging in 1999.

That figure reduced to 182 last year. There have been 30 sighting reported so far this year.

Here’s a breakdown on the number of sightings reported to Leanbh since 1997.

Leanbh figures Leanbh Leanbh

An anonymous child who was helped by Leanbh said, “They talked to me and my parents about the dangers of being on the streets and about the importance of education.

They helped me find a school, they also helped me improve my literacy skills and get the uniform and the school books.

The ISPCC says that begging has a negative impact on health and emotional well-being of a child, adding that it is associated with neglect and is almost always detrimental to a young person’s education or even literacy.

The ISPCC warns that giving money is not the answer to child begging.

“Child begging includes children begging alone and adults begging with children or babies either on the street or door to door.

“Children begging may be at risk of emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

Giving money increases the chances of child begging on a regular basis and does not address the root cause of begging.

Instead the charity recommends giving food or a hot drink, talking to gardaí and contacting the ISPCC.

“If you have an ongoing concern about a particular child, you can also contact the Health Service Executive (HSE).”

Leanbh can be contacted on 01-2342009 or 087 0625198

Read: If you see children begging on the street, the ISPCC want you to report it>

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19 Comments
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    Mute Eugene Tyson
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:21 PM

    Shuffle himself out hopefully

    696
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    Mute Dot Com
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:59 PM

    @Eugene Tyson: The fact is Varadkar and his party are getting hammered on social media where the spin doctors can’t control the content, He knows he won’t get back in because his policies are a disaster.

    482
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:05 PM

    @Dot Com: Exactly, he’d want to replace them all and appoint a new Tanaiste while he’s at it, people who actually concentrate on their jobs and take their duties seriously and conscientiously Lio won’t last himself anyway, the way things are going..

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    Mute Carpentoza
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:22 PM

    @Dot Com: do you need to broaden your echo chamber perhaps? Im no fan but fg and leo are still the likely party to lead next time check the opinion polls

    31
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:26 PM

    @Carpentoza: Those phony phone calls they make to the usual 1000 people? These polls are used to ‘shape’ rather than ‘gauge’ public opinion. Who are the directors/shareholders of the polling companies?

    226
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    Mute Genius 80s+
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:11 PM

    @Carpentoza: I’m no fan but, Stop fooling your self pal, time to come out as an FGer.

    153
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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:17 PM

    @Dot Com: social media is irrelevant. Old people don’t read social media.

    19
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    Mute Tommy Berry
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:44 PM

    @Dot Com: But he will get back in.

    14
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    Mute Genius 80s+
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:48 PM

    @Tommy Berry: Everbody knows he wont/

    130
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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Jan 1st 2019, 3:22 PM

    @Chin Feeyin: Another misconception!

    110
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 1st 2019, 4:11 PM

    @Nuala Mc Namara: True, its also funny how few government apologists are on here trying to defend FFG. Maybe they are still in bed having a LIE-ON.

    126
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    Mute tommytukamomo
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    Jan 1st 2019, 4:52 PM

    @Dot Com: The spin doctors control 1000′s of social media accounts which are easily spotted.
    They will attack en mass to lessen damage to verruca.

    82
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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Jan 1st 2019, 6:53 PM

    @tommytukamomo: “1,000s of social media accounts”. Really?

    2
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jan 1st 2019, 6:59 PM

    @Chin Feeyin: ‘social media is irrelevant. Old people don’t read social media’

    Really???

    66
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    Mute Carpentoza
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    Jan 1st 2019, 9:29 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: dismissing information as fraudulent because it doesn’t suit you is hardly mature debate. The poorly informed representing as the enlightened

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    Mute davey boy
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    Jan 2nd 2019, 9:06 AM

    @Frank Cauldhame: Just because someone says that Leo will get back in doesn’t make them a FG apologist it just makes them a realist.

    2
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    Mute tommytukamomo
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:23 PM

    Rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic.

    404
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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:35 PM

    @tommytukamomo:

    Do you think the government is at risk?

    26
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    Mute tommytukamomo
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:39 PM

    @Tweety McTweeter: Hopefully, but the same old sows & swine want to keep their snouts in the trough.

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    Mute Eric Davies
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    Jan 1st 2019, 3:45 PM

    @tommytukamomo: more like lining up some more of his chums for a ministerial pension !! move a few on -those that have enough ‘service’ to claim a ministerial top up to their pension -and give some new faces a chance to boost their pension by a few grand a year !!

    61
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    Mute Willy Mc Caul
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:22 PM

    Housing and health about to receive a new 5 or 10 year plan.. FFG way…

    327
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    Mute tommytukamomo
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:24 PM

    @Willy Mc Caul: another 5 point plan

    221
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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:26 PM

    @tommytukamomo: five year ,plan ,duck, dive, dodge , denounce, and of course delude !

    204
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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:57 PM

    @Willy Mc Caul: Yes like the constantly wheeled out metro north nonsence? In the time they have been messing about with metro north London Has finished the dock lands light rail and the jubilee line and crossrail. In the and time 25 cities in China have completed full urban metro systems. The Spanish built a fabulous high speed rail systems. We’re still taking about a single short metro line for decades

    93
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    Mute ObsidianShine
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:48 PM

    @Gerard Heery: Now that’s definitely the FFG five year plan!

    51
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    Mute Marty Lawless
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:55 PM

    Election time sockboy

    239
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    Mute Gerard Lord
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:26 PM

    Shuffle the whole government!

    225
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    Mute Bill Clay
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:54 PM

    Harris and Murphy about to get reassigned no doubt and the Irish media will, as always, ignore their disastrous failure.
    They’ll both make a fine Taoiseach one day.

    220
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    Mute Conor Phillips
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:09 PM

    Oh no. Does that mean Shane Ross could be deployed to ruin a different area of our lives? Perhaps they could just make him the minister for making the tea at cabinet meetings?

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    Mute ObsidianShine
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:50 PM

    @Conor Phillips: Lord Ross doesn’t make tea.. He has a boy for that… “Boy, fetch me my tea!”

    70
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    Mute Sharon O'sullivan Gerhardt
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    Jan 2nd 2019, 8:14 AM

    @Conor Phillips:
    I agree he’s got to be the worst Minister ever! Has ruined numerous industries with his policies.

    8
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    Mute Paul Gurney
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:14 PM

    This is so a lad thats not qualified for his brief can get a role where he’s not qualified for his brief..Sure what can possibly go wrong!!!!!

    149
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    Mute Adrian
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:25 PM

    I reshuffle won’t mean much to anyone except themselves, with this incompetent bunch.

    255
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    Mute Adrian
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:31 PM

    Another smug smarmy photo of this obnoxious tool.

    370
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    Mute Michael Maher
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:40 PM

    @Adrian:Self satisfied smirk on his face

    232
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    Mute tommytukamomo
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:41 PM

    @Adrian: a tool has a use. However limited, but still has a use..
    The minister for everything is as useful as a handbrake on a toilet seat.

    220
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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:43 PM

    This country is a society as well as an economy and it is people who vote for politicians not companies,etc.We hear from politicians many times on a daily basis on a variety of issues but with National emergencies in homelessness, housing and health,etc affecting our society,it’s time for politicians to really listen&it’s time for straight talking not spin,not divide &conquer and not excuses and it’s time for ALL sections of society to really feel that they matter&that the power really comes from the people!

    114
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    Mute Barry O Toole
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:03 PM

    Leo needs a boot up the backside himself

    184
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    Mute Mill Lane
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    Jan 1st 2019, 12:54 PM

    Replacing useless f”"kers with other useless f”"kers

    236
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    Mute Colm Ó hAodhagáin
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:38 PM

    Pass the buck time. No responsibility.

    69
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    Mute Adrian
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:35 PM

    Politics, the art of the impossible, with our current totally inept useless bunch bringing new meaning to this self gratifying phrase, finding more things impossible than most.

    113
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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:53 PM

    Hopefully this clown will be first

    109
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    Mute Billy Davies
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    Jan 1st 2019, 1:00 PM

    I hope fine gael get re-elected

    54
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    Mute ObsidianShine
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:49 PM

    @Billy Davies: That’s nice, I hope they don’t.

    123
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:01 PM

    Send Ross somewhere…
    Anywhere.

    59
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    Mute Maire
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:15 PM

    Hope he gets rid of Shane Ross, when did anybody cause an accident with 50mg of Alcohol on board? Probably never!!

    55
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    Mute Barra O Brien
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:30 PM

    @Maire: Fond of a drink and a bit of driving? Hope you get busted

    26
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    Mute Maire
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    Jan 1st 2019, 5:39 PM

    @Barra O Brien: Sorry, Dara, I don’t drink and Drive!

    20
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    Mute Chris OB
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    Jan 1st 2019, 4:43 PM

    Yea abdication of the little responsibility there is.

    16
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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    Jan 1st 2019, 5:35 PM

    That won’t change anything, not even their underwear?

    13
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    Mute Enda Daly
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    Jan 1st 2019, 7:59 PM

    Please god he sees sense and gets rid of that clown Shane Ross

    19
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    Mute Dan public
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    Jan 1st 2019, 2:22 PM

    C

    8
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    Mute Niall Power
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    Jan 1st 2019, 6:46 PM

    Coveney would be a far better Taoiseach,
    I’m sick of sock boy!

    20
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