A Westport councillor is advising the public to think twice before giving money to anyone begging on a street in the county.
Independent councillor Christy Hyland claims that a person begging on the street in Westport in recent days, secured a hundred euro in small change alone in a single day and was seen returning to his car the same evening and changing into less worn out shoes before driving off.
Councillor Hyland, who has highlighted his concerns about street begging at local authority level, believes that the social welfare system in this country is in place to ensure no one needs to beg, and he is encouraging the public to report anyone begging on the street and obstructing a footpath to their local garda station.
He described a recent incident in Westport to Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley…
