Dublin City Council has backed a proposal to establish a dedicated Halloween safety taskforce following widespread damage, fires and anti-social behaviour across the capital during this year's celebrations.
The motion, brought forward by Social Democrats councillor Jesslyn Henry, calls for a coordinated, citywide approach to tackling recurring Halloween-related problems and protecting local communities.
It follows an exceptionally busy night for Dublin Fire Brigade on October 31, when emergency services processed 1,620 calls, making it the busiest Halloween night in 15 years.
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Of those calls, 585 related to fires in Dublin, with 470 directly connected to Halloween activities. A further 366 fire calls were handled across the wider Leinster region, while Dublin's ambulance service processed 669 calls.
The scale of the emergency response included bonfire-related incidents, house fires, vacant property fires, car fires, serious road traffic collisions and medical emergencies.
Speaking at the council's monthly meeting, Cllr Henry highlighted the serious incidents reported in several communities, warning that the level of destruction and disruption could not be allowed to become an annual occurrence.
In Cherry Orchard, reports included cars being set alight, dangerous driving through residential estates, fireworks exploding in streets and significant public disorder.
In Dolphin's Barn, firefighters were called to an incident involving a car being driven into a bonfire.
Cllr Henry said communities should not be left to deal with the consequences of dangerous behaviour and damage to public spaces every year.
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The proposed taskforce would bring together Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána, elected representatives, community organisations, youth services and other relevant stakeholders.
Its work would include assessing the damage caused during Halloween, identifying locations where problems repeatedly arise and developing a coordinated plan for the city ahead of next year's celebrations.
The proposal also aims to improve cooperation between emergency services, local authorities and communities so that preventative measures can be put in place before problems escalate.
Dublin Fire Brigade confirmed that all frontline appliances had been mobilised during the exceptionally busy evening, with crews dealing with incidents across the capital.
Chief Fire Officer Greg O'Dwyer attributed the increased activity to a combination of factors, including dry and mild weather, Halloween falling on a Saturday and greater access to illegal fireworks through online channels.
Despite the pressure on emergency services, the brigade confirmed that all its crews were safe and that no firefighter injuries had been reported.
The council's backing for the motion marks a move towards developing a longer-term strategy to address Halloween-related disorder, with the proposed taskforce expected to focus on preparations for Halloween 2027.
