Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

An Garda Síochána is already undertaking a great deal of work. As we both said, this situation is happening much sooner than Hallowe'en and Operation Tombola has commenced and been in effect since 4 September. Perhaps that operation needs to start even sooner, but it is very early. This plan has many aspects directed against the sale of fireworks, including, to name just a few, combating the importation, sale and distribution of illegal fireworks. This is done through intelligence-led operations, visits to local car boot sales and searches and seizures of fireworks.

There is also liaison with fire services and local authorities regarding the provision of official and supervised bonfire sites, including the policing of those sites, and the identification and removal of stockpiled bonfire material and abandoned material from other locations. Awareness of the dangers associated with the improper use of fireworks is also promoted. There is high-visibility policing of the Hallowe'en night celebrations, which means members of the Garda on the beat, on bikes and in mobile patrols preventing damage to property, injury and trauma and utilising the divisional public order unit on Hallowe'en night. Many gardaí are on the ground implementing these measures to try to address many of the concerns expressed.

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