Debate contribution: Fireworks Legislation

Debate contribution by Mr Paul Frew on 18 November 2025.

MLA

Mr Paul Frew

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

18 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Fireworks Legislation

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5244618

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I see merit in the motion and the amendment, and it is a pity that we cannot splurge the two together because, if the amendment passes, we lose something from the motion, but if the amendment is not made, we lose something by not having the amendment. It is a pity that the two cannot be splurged together. They are coterminous, because we need a comprehensive review of fireworks legislation to ensure that it provides the appropriate safeguards; promotes responsible celebration; and better protects the welfare of people, including veterans, and animals, including pets and wildlife; and, of course, victims of terrorism and antisocial behaviour. The comprehensive review may then feed into the pending sentencing Bill, and the two may be coterminous in some way. If the Minister and the Assembly have the will, it could be achievable in the not-too-distant future. One thing I am sure of is that, when people are preyed on by antisocial behaviour, the use of fireworks takes it to a new level. When people are the victims of antisocial behaviour, they are traumatised, they cannot get a break, they cannot get a rest and they are worried in their homes, and if fireworks are fired at your property and, on some occasions, at your person, put through letter boxes or banged against windows when you are trying to sleep, it can have a devastating effect on people's lives. That is where we need to target any real change in sentencing. We also have the issue of the overall control of licensed fireworks and how we can change behaviours and raise awareness of the potential damage that large-scale firework displays can have on people's pets. It amazes me that we always talk about pets, and the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) say that 80% of pet owners report that pets were distressed or frightened as a result of fireworks. I suspect that figure is replicated for wildlife in the environment. For every display we have or bang that goes off, even if it is a domestic thing such as a family having a fireworks display, the wildlife could be devastated, and we do not know that that is taking place when we decide to have a fireworks display. When I was growing up, we did not have fireworks displays. You had what was classified as indoor fireworks — these silly things coming out of sheets of paper — and that was all that we had when I was young.

I am showing my age, Minister. I know you are laughing.

We have come a long way, and we are in a better and safer environment, where we can have controlled fireworks displays. However, that has a downside, too. This debate is relevant, because it is time to take stock.

469 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:00 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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