Adverts to highlight dangers of fireworks

A major advertising campaign to highlight the dangers of fireworks and new increased penalties for their illegal use begins next week and will run up to Halloween, the Dáil was told.

The Garda had also put in place Operation Tombola to "prevent and detect the organised importation of fireworks for sale", said Minister of State Noel Ahern.

He said since the start of the operation on September 25th, "there have been 15 seizures of fireworks with an estimated value of €87,000".

Speaking for Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, Mr Ahern said in problem areas gardaí were involved in intelligence-gathering to identify known dealers and supplies.

He said chief superintendents throughout the State had been instructed to "introduce measures appropriate to their respective areas of responsibility, with particular emphasis on Garda divisions in the Dublin metropolitan" and Border regions.

He was replying to Joe Costello (Labour, Dublin Central), who referred to a young student in Cabra "who had a terrifying experience during the week when a banger was thrown at her, damaging her hand and neck to the extent that it is thought that she will require plastic surgery".

Mr Costello claimed Mr McDowell had promised to deal with illegal importation, possession, sale and use of fireworks but "his proposals involve nothing more than inserting a provision into the Criminal Justice Act which increases penalties for existing offences".

He said there were no proposals to synchronise legislation with that in Northern Ireland and Britain from where nearly all the "illegal fireworks emanate".

However, Mr Ahern, who offered his sympathies to the injured student, said Mr McDowell "is confident that this year, following the introduction of the new offences and penalties, the Garda operations will be even more successful in combating the illegal importation, sale and use of fireworks".

He said research showed that "the public generally favours the current policy of prohibiting importation of fireworks for sale, and strongly supports the proposals for increased fines and penalties".