bonfires must go

Bonfires must go- Mansfield.

Sinn Fein Councillor Brendan Mansfield has publicly stated that he will be calling on Dungarvan Town Council to take preventative measures up to and including a ban on any future bonfires in the town.

'' This situation goes on year after year and the local powers that be seem to turn a blind eye, the tradition of a community bonfire is well and truly assigned to the past, these annual bonfires are now simply an excuse for some people to have a drink and drug fuelled binge. This was plain to see for anybody who viewed any of the bonfires around the town. I received numerous phone calls from angry residents living in the area's around these fires, such was my own concern after viewing the happenings at two of the locations, were smaller fires had been started off the main bonfire that I went to the Garda Station and made a complaint. These auxiliary fires were far to close to houses and the risk of them spreading was a risk.''

''Those who engage in gathering and setting these fires believe that they may be nurturing some kind of community spirit, nothing could be further from the truth. They are giving the area's a bad name, they are terrorising their neighbours. To describe the activity around these fires as anti-social would be an under statement, I spoke to a number of elderly residents who were visibly distressed by the antics of some of the crowds gathered at the fires.''

''While other Councillors may disagree I believe the onus is on the Town Council to take action to stamp out this issue, how can the council every year turn a blind eye to the burning of toxic materials, on Friday night last a large section of the town was covered in smoke. If this was in daylight and the public could see the colour of this smoke there would be an outcry. If a person is killed or receives a serious injury from one of these bonfires questions will be asked why the Council did not do more to prevent these fires.While I realise the Gardai are busy and have other duties if a more proactive approach was taken in stopping the supply of tyres getting to the sites of the bonfires it would also aid quelling this issue.''

''I will be raising this matter at the first meeting of the newly established Dungarvan Joint Policing Committee. I suggested a number of years ago that the Council meet Senior Gardai at regular intervals and I now welcome the fact that this arrangement has been formalised. No longer can we stand by and see areas of the town virtually under siege on Halloween, it is time to take a stand and reclaim Halloween as a family event.