I thank the Minister for coming to the House this evening for the debate. This week the success of the Garda in recovering two major consignments of illegal fireworks with a street value of approximately £1.5 million is certainly commendable. Despite this success anyone who lives in, or even visits, a built up area will be only too well aware of the prevalence of fireworks. In many communities, particularly in the city, anyone would be forgiven for not having noticed that there had been a major confiscation of fireworks by the Garda. It seems that there are more fireworks in the hands of young people this year than ever before.
Since the end of September, fireworks have been blasting in flat complexes and housing estates. Older people are absolutely terrified and since the use of fireworks began this autumn, I am aware of many people who simply will not leave their houses after 4 o'clock or 5 o'clock in the afternoon. I received a number of letters and telephone calls asking what can be done and from people saying they are terrified and feel threatened even in their own houses. Some people have gone as far as sealing up their letterboxes because fireworks have been dropped through them. They are living in fear and terror. Apart from the discomfort caused by fireworks to older people, animals are also particularly affected. Dogs and cats run scared every time one of these bangers or fireworks explodes.
The issues around fireworks are wider than the sole problem of causing nervousness and discomfort to either people or animals. To the user, fireworks are incredibly dangerous. From my experience, it seems that fireworks are mainly entering the hands of young children who pose great risks to themselves every time they light fireworks. Despite the best efforts of the Garda, fireworks are getting into the hands of children. A five minutes walk through any housing estate in Dublin South Central will vindicate this for anyone who may cast a doubt over my claim. Clearly, there is an issue to be addressed.
Fireworks are illegal and yet they get into the hands of very young children who will use them in unsupervised circumstances posing huge risks to themselves and to those around them. Every year there is a number of horrific injuries, particularly to younger children, with hand and eye injuries being reported. Yet people persist in allowing children to use these fireworks very dangerously.
Another extremely disconcerting issue around the type of fireworks that end up on our streets is their country of origin. It appears that the majority of fireworks which end up on Irish streets come from China and other low wage economies in the Far East. These fireworks are of an extremely low grade. They are more dangerous than those produced within the EU and, most distressingly, they are produced, in the main, by children. Within those child sweat shops accidents occur on a daily basis that leave children as young as seven or eight maimed for life. We cannot stand over a practice whereby these fireworks, whether held legally or illegally, end up on our streets. I did not raise this matter to put a damper on the Hallowe'en celebrations, but we cannot allow more and more dangerous fireworks to fall into the hands of young people.
The Government, to some extent, introduced a new fireworks culture to Irish society. The Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Brennan, and the State owned airline treated us to two magnificent fireworks displays during the past 12 months to celebrate the millennium. While they were magnificent, to an extent they inculcated a culture of fireworks.
Washing our hands of the problem is not the answer, we must examine what we can do to ensure that if fireworks enter the State they are as safe as fireworks can be, that they do not get into the hands of young people and that they are not used to frighten people in unsupervised environments.
The Explosives Act, 1875, which governs the use of fireworks is outdated. It did not envisage the popularity of fireworks, the level of trafficking in these products and the increasing dangers they pose to the user. Over the millennium celebrations, I was aware of many people who went to the North and purchased fireworks of French and UK origin on a legal basis. These were used in public parks and gardens throughout the country on a supervised basis to ring in the new year. No harm was done to anyone and everybody enjoyed themselves.
The veritable war zones in communities throughout this city bear no resemblance to new year's eve. It is critical that we move to change the law to strike a new balance regarding the use of fireworks.
