The annual fireworks season is almost upon us all yet again. Three to four weeks of bomb-like explosions, which go on until very late at night and make the immediate affected areas seem like war zones.

It is selfish and irresponsible behaviour by a minority of people who have no consideration or concern whatsoever for the discomfort, inconvenience and annoyance their behaviour causes to sick and elderly people, animals and adults, and children who just want to relax or sleep.

The root cause of this annual fireworks blight on people’s lives is the abysmal reluctance by politicians to do anything about the highly irresponsible law that allows people to let off so-called fireworks until very late at night in residential areas. Such a law defies belief and shows how totally out of touch politicians are with the lives of ordinary people.

In a caring, responsible society fireworks should not be allowed in residential areas beyond 8pm, and certain categories of bomb-like fireworks should be banned. If people want to let off fireworks after 8pm, let them go to organised displays well away from residential areas.

A couple of years ago one of the local religious organisations held a fireworks display at Kenton Recreation Ground. That display started at 5pm and no doubt would have been over by 8pm at the latest. That is what you call being responsible, sensitive, and thinking of the well-being of others.

John O’Neill

Address supplied