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Gardaí have made 52 firework seizures already this year

Gardaí have made 52 illegal firework seizures this year with more than a month to go until Hallo...
Michael Staines
Michael Staines

13.35 22 Sep 2020


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Gardaí have made 52 firework s...

Gardaí have made 52 firework seizures already this year

Michael Staines
Michael Staines

13.35 22 Sep 2020


Share this article


Gardaí have made 52 illegal firework seizures this year with more than a month to go until Halloween.

The Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the figure compares to a total of 152 seizures throughout the whole of 2016.

Minister McEntee is urging people not to “add to the problem” and think of frontline workers before using fireworks this year.

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Launching the campaign, she said there has been a ‘clear increase’ in the use of fireworks in recent weeks.

“I was talking to the commissioner about it; I think there have been 52 seizures so far this year,” she said.

“If you compare that to a figure, I think, back in 2016, the overall figure was 152 so it is quite a high number so far this year.

“We don’t know why there is that increase but Gardai will continue to do their job in trying to prevent people from selling them, using them and hopefully prevent any incidents from happening.”

She warned that there are “serious” penalties for using fireworks – with fine of up to €10,000 and five years in prison.

She said older people have already cocooned and restricted their movements during the pandemic – and said they “do not need the extra worry of fireworks going off near their homes.”

Gardaí have brought forward their annual ‘Operation ‘Tombola’ this year to deal with the increase in fireworks.


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