In the run-up to Hallowe'en, gardaí have warned parents about the serious danger associated with using fireworks.
Det Insp Ray McHugh said each year children end up in hospital with severe burns and hand, arm and chest injuries. He appealed to parents to take responsibility and resist pressure from children for money to buy fireworks.
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A hand injury caused by a banger
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Det Insp McHugh said a lot of the fireworks sold are defective. Many of them are made in Southeast Asia where there are very poor safety controls.
"Black Cat" fireworks have a very unstable fuse and are particulary dangerous, according to Det Insp McHugh. He said although many hand-held bangers might take 10 seconds or more to explode, Black Cats can go off within moments of being set alight.
Last year, Consultant plastic surgeon in St James's Hospital Ms Patricia Eadie treated 12 cases of "horrific injuries" caused by fireworks over Hallowe'en.
Speaking at a Garda demonstration on the dangers of fireworks in Dublin today, she spoke of a two-year old child who lost a finger last year when she grabbed a banger that had just been lit by her teenage brother.
Gardaí say fireworks are also a cause of great distress to elderly people. Bangers can also set off intruder alarms, and cause unnecessary demands on Garda resources.
Gardaí say they have seized almost £80,000 worth of fireworks around the State this year.
Under Irish law, all fireworks are classed as low explosive and cannot be imported without a licence from the Department of Justice.