The public has been warned by gardaí and the Minister for State at the Department of Justice James Browne against the “danger” posed by illegal fireworks and the penalties for their misuse, in advance of the Halloween period.
Launching a nationwide awareness campaign against illegal fireworks on Thursday, Mr Browne said Halloween “should be an enjoyable” time for children and their families. But fireworks bring “misery” to the elderly, vulnerable and animals.
“Fireworks have a terrible impact on guide and assistance dogs, family pets, animals and livestock, given their heightened senses of hearing and smell. This is without even considering the serious physical and often life-changing danger posed by illegal fireworks to not only those who use them but also innocent bystanders,” he said.
“We hear far too often of casualties caused by fireworks, and most of those incidents involve young people who have suffered eye injuries or severe burns,” said Mr Browne, adding that these were “injuries which can scar for life”.
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“So we would ask people to think hard before they use and misuse fireworks ... and we would ask parents not to buy fireworks for their own use or for their children and instead take their children along to legal and professional fireworks displays”.
The possession of illegal fireworks, with the intent to sell or supply, carries fines of up to €10,000 and five years’ imprisonment if convicted.
An Garda Síochána, Foróige, the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Dublin Fire Brigade joined the Minister for the launch of the awareness campaign on Thursday.
Gardaí were combating the importation, sale and distribution of illegal fireworks, through Operation Tombola which includes visits to local car boot sales, searches and seizures of fireworks, as well as focusing on preventing associated public disorder and antisocial behaviour through deployment of additional resources.
Insp Ciarán Nunan, from the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau, said young people especially needed to be “fully aware that it is a criminal offence to throw or direct any ignited firework at a person or property”.
Throughout the next month, community policing gardaí will be visiting schools to speak with children about the dangers and criminal offences associated with fireworks, he said.
“We are appealing to parents and guardians, particularly those with young children, to be aware of the serious danger of fireworks and the nuisance they cause to communities,” added Mr Nunan.
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