Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)

I rise today to express serious concern regarding the effectiveness of the 2025 Department of justice public awareness campaign on the dangers of illegal fireworks, which was launched in September by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. While the campaign rightly highlights the severe penalties, with fines of up to €10,000 and prison terms of up to five years, it is clear that the message is not reaching all communities with the urgency and clarity required. In particular, I must draw attention to ongoing incidents in Kerry, where the Garda is currently investigating multiple reports of fireworks misuse in the Listowel and Kenmare areas as well as other areas. Despite the campaign's national roll-out in collaboration with An Garda Síochána, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA, and the Dublin Fire Brigade, the continued disruption and danger posed by illegal fireworks in my constituency suggests a breakdown in local communication and enforcement.

Today, I am calling on the Minister to review the campaign's reach and effectiveness in all counties in Ireland, to increase targeted messaging through local radio, schools and community groups, and to ensure that the Garda is adequately resourced to respond swiftly to these incidents. I spoke on this issue twice previously in the Seanad as far back as last March and April and was delighted to see the official launch of this public awareness campaign on the severity of the misuse of fireworks. I am calling on the Minister for justice to urgently resource An Garda Síochána in the run in to Hallowe'en to address this antisocial behaviour, which has, in my opinion, severely escalated since last year. Over the weekend, for example, over fireworks were being dropped through residents' letterboxes and people were being aimed at with fireworks. It is going to finish up ugly. We had an incident in north Kerry last year where 50 youths wearing balaclavas had an on-street fight with fireworks, which is why I am calling on the Minister to resource the Garda straight away. This is not just an issue for Kerry; it is a national issue. Someone is going to get badly hurt unless we resource the Garda for the next three weeks to stop this antisocial behaviour.