A community organised Halloween celebration in Finglas wants to provide fun for all and cut down on illegal bonfires, fireworks and anti-social behaviour.
Communities across the country are trying to attract youngsters away from illegal bonfires by creating Halloween events to keep them out of trouble.
In Finglas in North Dublin, community groups, Dublin City Council and An Garda Síochána have organised a parade and fireworks. Finglas Community Officer Aileen Doyle believes their organised Halloween event is fun and safe for all the family and one young participant could not agree more.
Bonfires, you can get hurt and you can’t get hurt in this.
In 2007 Dublin City Council confiscated 540 tons of tyres, pallets and wood and the clean-up bill following came to one million euro in the capital alone. Lord Mayor of Dublin Eibhlin Byrne believes that events such as the one in Finglas will enable the Council to better deploy its finances.
Emergency services are on alert every Halloween which traditionally is their busiest night of the year. John Keogh of Dublin Fire Brigade says the service received a record amount of calls in 2007 but he is hopeful for 2008.
We still have fire engines in the stations whereas this time last year every single fire-engine in the Dublin Fire Brigade was out.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 31 October 2008. The reporter is Martina Fitzgerald.
