Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I am attempting to find out the plans of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to tackle the annual epidemic of fireworks in the run-up to Hallowe'en. The Hallowe'en season is upon us and the annual sale, distribution and indiscriminate use of illegal fireworks, which often end up in the hands of young people, is in full swing.

Each year the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform promises to introduce legislation to curb this illegal activity, but so far he has produced nothing. Unbelievably, it is now reported in the media that he is seeking derogation from a forthcoming European Union directive which aims to establish a common policy to regulate and control the sale, distribution and use of fireworks throughout the member states.

It appears everyone is out of step except the Minister. Elderly people are terrified in their homes and on the street, with bangers going off night and day. Young people, ignorant of the potential dangers of handling fireworks which are literally miniature explosives are liable to serious injury at any time. Two weeks ago, at the National Ploughing Championships, €365,000 worth of fireworks were seized by the Garda. At the Ballinasloe horse fair last week the Garda reported numerous fireworks seizures and horses were stampeded by sudden explosions of fireworks.

While fireworks are currently banned by law in the Republic they are available everywhere. They are not banned in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, while they are subject to restrictions on their usage. Surely the first step for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is to contact his counterparts in Northern Ireland to put together and discuss a common policy to control and regulate fireworks on an all-island basis. Instead of seeking a unilateral derogation for this country, having got a common approach in Ireland, he should be able to argue a common European Union policy that would allow for common control and common regulation among all the 25 member states.

He should then make regulations so that local authorities would be obliged to take responsibility for good order in the communities for which they have responsibility in the run-up to Hallowe'en. They should play a proactive role in the organisation of safe firework events and alternative Hallowe'en activities for young people. For example, household junk collections should not take place in October or September as is the case in Dublin at present. This allows all sorts of inflammable materials to be collected. They are readily available to all young people who wish to get them ahead of the corporation trucks.

What is needed is a Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who is prepared to show leadership on this issue and ensure we have safety and security throughout the country at Hallowe'en each year. We do not need a Minister who promises each year that he will do the devil and all with the end result that there is nothing to show for it and there is the same fear and threat to elderly people, particularly in housing estates and complexes throughout the country and the same danger to young people who have no proper knowledge on how to handle these explosive materials.

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