Public Consultation On Decriminalising Rough Sleeping And Begging

The public is invited to share their opinions on proposals to decriminalise rough sleeping and begging in Northern Ireland. Justice Minister Naomi Long has launched a consultation on the repeal of Section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824 and Section 3 of the Vagrancy (Ireland) Act 1847.

The consultation aims to gather public input on whether the repeal of these outdated laws would leave any significant gaps in the criminal justice system. The Minister is seeking to ensure that adequate provisions remain in place to address public disorder, disorderly behaviour, and harassment in public spaces. Launching the public consultation, Justice Minister Naomi Long said: "I do not believe it is appropriate to criminalise people who are simply begging but who are not otherwise behaving in a way that would attract criminal sanction. I am fully aware that begging and rough sleeping are often linked to underlying issues, such as poverty, alcohol and drug addiction, poor mental health, sexual and domestic abuse, and family breakdown.

"These are complex and cross-cutting issues which require a multi-agency response of support rather than criminalising people under arcane laws simply because of their personal circumstances."

The Department is particularly keen to hear from key stakeholders, including those involved in the delivery of health and social care and organisations within the voluntary and community sector which provide support to people begging or sleeping rough.

The consultation can be viewed at the publication section of this website.