Dublin Chamber of Commerce has announced that ‘aggressive begging’ in the capital is one of the concerns that will be raised at a forthcoming Dublin policing forum meeting. Some business owners have suggested that the prevalence of beggars in Dublin is putting off tourists who visit the city, decreasing their chances of revisiting or recommending the city to friends.

Begging has become a major point of contention for many city authorities in recent times, especially as more people have been made homeless as a result of various economic concerns. Different areas have tackled the issue of begging in very different ways. While Finland has decriminalised begging, it has been cracked down on or even prohibited in several US cities.

In Scotland, there have been increasingly vocal calls to ban begging, with Glasgow and Aberdeen authorities leading the charge. However, there have also been strong objections to such proposals, with the Scottish Herald arguing “understanding the phenomenon better can help target resources in the ways which would help beggars directly. But it seems unlikely investing in further criminal sanctions will be the most effective way of doing that.”

The EU has started developing a plan to end long-term homelessness, while Dublin has been trialing a ‘giving box’ scheme in an attempt to discourage begging and distribute donated money evenly among homeless people in the city.

Would aggressive begging put you off visiting a city and do you think Dublin's reputation is being adversely affected at the moment? What, in your opinion, consitutes 'aggressive' begging? Is a legal stampdown an effective solution or merely illustrating a fundamental lack of understanding of the complex issues involved? Vote in our poll and leave your comments below.