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Garda Operations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020

Tuesday, 15 September 2020

Questions (592)

Seán Haughey

Question:

592. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in the past few weeks a large amount of fireworks have been set off in north Dublin, which is a cause of great disturbance to householders; if she will request An Garda Síochána to take appropriate measures to deal with the problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23727/20]

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Written answers

It is important to be aware that fireworks, because they are explosives, are regulated under national and EU legislation and can only be imported into the country under licence and stored and sold in accordance with the explosives law.

Government policy restricts the availability of all hazardous fireworks to the general public and licences under the Explosives Act are issued by my Department only for the importation of fireworks which are to be used in organised displays conducted by professional and competent operators.

Having said that, I am all too conscious of the numerous incidents, and sadly some serious accidents arising from the use of illegal fireworks and of the concerns arising for local communities as a result of their improper use.

Every year as Halloween approaches, my Department runs a safety campaign aimed at ensuring the public is aware of the dangers of illegal fireworks and bonfires. We work with various stakeholders and partners to ensure a message of safety and compliance reaches as a wide an audience as possible.

In addition to this work undertaken by my Department, An Garda Síochána engages in “Operation Tombola” which aims to combat the illegal importation, sale and use of fireworks.

The Garda Commissioner has informed me that under Operation Tombola, each District will put in place an Operational Plan to tackle the sale of fireworks including through:

- Combating the importation, sale and distribution of illegal fireworks, through intelligence led operations, visits to local car boot sales, searches and seizures of fireworks.

- Liaising with local authorities and Fire Services regarding the provision of official, supervised bonfire sites, the policing of these, and the identification and removal of stockpiled bonfire material and abandoned vehicles from other locations.

- Promoting awareness of the danger associated with the improper use of fireworks and unsupervised bonfires through the use of the media, social media, school visits and information leaflet distribution by members and the Crime Prevention Officer.

- High visibility policing of the Halloween night celebrations, i.e. beat, bike and mobile patrols, thus preventing damage to property, injury, trauma for the vulnerable and the elderly, and general loutish behaviour.

- Utilising the Divisional Public Order Unit on Halloween Night.

Operation Tombola also focuses on preventing associated public disorder and anti-social behaviour through the incremental deployment of resources, including Garda Public Order Units to augment local plans as appropriate.

As well as Part 6 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 which gives An Garda Síochána the power to make arrests in relation to the possession of unlicensed fireworks, a number of strong legislative provisions are available to Gardaí to combat anti-social behaviour more generally and include -

- the Criminal Damage Act 1991;

- Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994;

- the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2003; and

- the Intoxicating Liquor Acts 2003 and 2008.

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