Northern Ireland

Bonfires: Officials on the front line... in their own words

An Eleventh night bonfire at Chobham Street in east Belfast. Picture by Justin Kernoghan 
An Eleventh night bonfire at Chobham Street in east Belfast. Picture by Justin Kernoghan  An Eleventh night bonfire at Chobham Street in east Belfast. Picture by Justin Kernoghan 

Staff from public bodies across the north spoke candidly with researchers about their experience of dealing with contentious bonfires.

Researchers interviewed officials from authorities including the PSNI, Fire Service, Housing Executive, Environment Agency and each of the north's 11 councils.

Their names and organisations have been not been disclosed after those taking part expressed concerns of potential repercussions.

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On speaking out publicly:

"Compared to any other issue it is almost impossible to have anything other than a coded conversation. Nobody speaks with candour because there might be political liability."

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Regulation and enforcement:

"The bottom line in the community is that nobody takes ownership of bonfires ... it's always someone else's responsibility."

"Issues of legality, insurance, liability ... its all a grey area that brings a degree of nervousness when you start asking questions."

"Technically we would have a case against anyone lighting one. Including a minister."

"This is tradition and you cannot apply an enforcement approach to traditional practices."

"You don't take environmental health and building control to a meeting on bonfires, because the first thing they say is, 'This is not legal.'"

"Bonfire issues start almost from Easter. As soon as they start to collect material we have to be involved. Fly-tipping starts. Members of the community ring up. We have the regular phoners."

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Paramilitary influence:

"If we get this wrong we are legitimising things. People are extorting, holding communities to ransom."

"From my point of view there is paramilitary influence at a large number of bonfire sites. You get more moderate and hard-liner factions. There is no way something like that is going to happen without the boys."

"We live in the real world. I have no choice in this, the different in daytime and night time. People get warned if they speak out. While we have the political vacuum."

"A few years ago, the (name of paramilitary group) told their people to get involved in community stuff, because they saw where things were heading. But is this a good thing or a bad thing."

"The reality is that in this area within the council boundary it works better because the loyalist paramilitaries are better organised here, well, compared to the rest of the area anyway ... when they are less well organised all you get is trouble."

"Loyalist communities with people in command are much easier to work with. Of course they tell you 'we have no control' but it is about encouraging civic leadership."

"And as the guy said to me, 'What do you think, 17-year-olds want face-painting and bouncy castles?' What they do is have two bonfires – one for the families with safety and one for everyone else with the blue bags later on. This is the boys taking control."

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Funding bonfire groups:

"To be honest, the criterion on no tyres is a rag to a bull. We have a good relations element and it has to be a constituted group. But these are all hurdles, which prevent engagement."

"The incentive is useless unless you also have teeth."

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Tackling bonfires:

"The local level and the national conversation do not connect. Where there is an unsafe bonfire and it needs to be cleared, who has jurisdiction. That needs to be an NI a policy but it is not in place. When do we intervene? When does the safety go over the line? What is our duty of care?"

"Either these bonfires are unsafe or they are not. We need consistent leadership, which will help us get them managed."