Children buying illegal fireworks over Snapchat and over social media are risking ‘loss of limb or loss of life’, a Dublin Councillor has warned. 

Despite their popularity in the lead up to Halloween, fireworks remain a banned product in the Republic - although they are routinely smuggled south of the border. 

An Garda Síochána has warned that many who buy them are children, who do so on social media platforms with disappearing messages, such as Snapchat or Telegram. 

It means the force is struggling to trace those who sell fireworks to vulnerable people. 

“I think social media, it gives great opportunities and also provides huge challenges for us,” Sinn Féin Councillor Dathí Doolan argued on The Claire Byrne Show. 

“At this time of the year, it's used for sinister elements to buy and distribute fireworks. 

“I think the whole issue of the border opens up the discussion; we need a fully all-Ireland approach to tackling the fireworks issue. 

“I would add that it's adults buying them, distributing them and selling them. 

“But unfortunately, it's our children who are bearing the brunt, the physical cost of using the fireworks.”

Cllr Doolan continued that fireworks can have “very dire consequences” and there is a reason why they are banned. 

“They can be used on passers-by, cyclists, joggers - those vulnerable in our community are terrorised by them,” he said. 

“Our animals, cats and dogs are terrorised by them. 

“So, I would appeal to adults to please, if you are in possession of fireworks, if they are illegal, but if you're going to use them, use them in a respectful manner and make sure they don't fall into the hands of children.”

Cllr Doolan urged parents to ensure that their children are aware of just how dangerous fireworks are. 

“Please check on your children,” he said. 

“Have that conversation with your children; don't assume anything about your child that they will or won't be involved in fireworks. 

“But we need to make sure at this time of the year that the Halloween season that's upon us is a happy, family-friendly event and that all our children return to school on Monday without loss of limb or worse still loss of life or being caught up in some activities that they would live to regret.”

Main image: Young people with fireworks. Picture by: Alamy.com.