Copyright highlandradio
Data shows 263 fireworks offences in Donegal over the past 20 years, but only 5 last year and 7 in 2023 Since firework laws were tightened in the mid-2000s, there have been 4,193 fireworks offences recorded across Ireland, with 263 recorded in Donegal. There has been a massive decrease in firework-related offences over the past 15 years in the county, with only five last year and seven in 2023, compared to 41 in 2010. Most of the offences in Donegal are recorded between October and December according to CSO data, with the spike in offences coinciding with Halloween. Outside of Dublin, Limerick was the county with the highest number of fireworks offences over the past 20 years, with 336 offences recorded in the county’s Garda division. Donegal had third highest overall, and Cork recorded 230 offences across its three divisions. Across the six Garda divisions in Dublin, 1,021 offences related to fireworks were recorded from 2004 to Q2 2025 – around a quarter of the total. Ireland has some of the strictest laws around fireworks in the world, and data shows that there has been a massive decrease in people using fireworks since 2010 when the number of offences peaked at 461. Nearly all fireworks are illegal to sell or possess without a licence. F1 category fireworks are the least dangerous, and can be bought and used by the general public without a licence. These include party poppers, ground spinners, Christmas crackers and some sparklers. All other fireworks are illegal, and those caught could be arrested, and end up with hefty fines or even prison sentences. As well as being illegal, fireworks can also have a negative impact on the environment, according to Briain Kelly of EnergyEfficiency.ie. Kelly explained that fireworks can affect air and water quality, cause land pollution, and harm the wellbeing of animals. “Fireworks release chemicals, fine particles and heavy metals into the air, producing gases like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides,” he said. “These substances can stick around long after the display ends, and can lead to poor air quality and respiratory irritation. “The metal compounds that create the colours that give fireworks their strange appeal can also contaminate soil and waterways once they settle.”
