Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Mid-West Mark Ward has called for immediate action to be taken about the misuse of fireworks in our communities. Teachta Ward raised this and the lack of response to the problem directly with the Minister for Justice in the Dáil yesterday

Teachta Ward said:

“You only have to take a walk through parts of Dublin at night and you can witness the very visible misuse of fireworks in our communities. There is a constant barrage of noise and flashing lights making our communities seem in a state of lawlessness.

“I know of elderly residents who are living in fear and afraid to leave their homes. Shop keepers and local business people are fearful for their staff and customers because of fireworks aimed at them or at their premises.

“Bus routes have been curtailed resulting in people having to walk through areas at night where fireworks could be aimed at them.

“During yesterday’s debate the Minister gave a lengthy response about the legislation and that it is strong enough to deal with the issue. If legislation is indeed strong enough, then it is a lack of Garda resources that is the problem.

“Operation Tombola is a Garda operation that is set up to deal with the misuse of fireworks in the lead up to Halloween every year.

“Yesterday the Minister informed me that this operation did not begin this year until 4th September despite the very visible misuse of fireworks in our communities since mid-July.

“This is a reactive response; we need to have proactive responses, or this situation will just get worse year on year

“The number of community Gardaí has fallen from 1182 in 2010 to 710 in July 2020 with Community Garda numbers in the Dublin decreasing by 55% from 508 in 2010 to 278 in July 2020. This needs to be addressed

“In my own area of Dublin Mid-West, a newborn baby had a very lucky escape last weekend after someone posted a banger through a letterbox in Palmerstown.

“Customers in parts of Clondalkin and Lucan are afraid to use their local shops and dog walkers won’t walk their dogs because of the distress that fireworks cause them and their pets.

“I will be raising this issue directly with the Minister again at the earliest opportunity to insist that resources are put in place to tackle this scourge on our communities

“The public confidence is shattered by this sense of lawlessness.

“The public perception is that the Guards are less concerned about bangers being thrown at the public, then if the public had bangers and mash in a pub in the last 28 days.”