Opinion

Bonfire concerns need to be addressed

There was a certain inevitability to the Belfast City Council vote in favour of allowing staff or contractors to remove materials from any bonfire site in the city.

It was also inevitable that unionist councillors would criticise the move, with Ruth Patterson accusing Sinn Féin of a `cultural war on the unionist community.'

The reality is that this summer has marked something of a watershed in approach towards the towering pyres that pose a risk to people and property, as well as the environment.

It has to be acknowledged that progress has been made with regulated bonfires and beacons in many areas.

However, there is clearly a minority element that refuses to budge and in fact sees any move against their bonfires as a challenge that spurs them to build even bigger structures.

It has become increasingly difficult for unionist representatives to defend the enormous bonfires that threaten property and place a strain on public resources, especially when the builders of these pyres appear immune to reason.

There have been serious incidents in the past, notably last summer when a number of houses were badly damaged by fire caused by sparks from a bonfire in the lower Shankill.

But the issue of dangerous bonfires was placed into sharp focus last month when disaster was narrowly averted in Sandy Row only thanks to the strenuous efforts of the fire service.

It is an act of madness to place a huge fire close to a tower block but the issue facing the authorities is how to prevent something like that happening again.

Belfast City Council did take out a court injunction ahead of the Eleventh Night, an unprecedented move that was supported by unionist councillors.

After that decision, there is a logic to reinforcing current policies so that council staff or outside contractors are authorised to remove bonfire material which poses a danger.

Sinn Féin called Wednesday's meeting following concerns over anti-internment bonfire sites but said its proposal related to all bonfires.

In nationalist areas there has been a move away from bonfires marking the anniversary of internment and it is clear these displays do not have widespread community support.

Statutory agencies have been working for weeks to remove bonfire materials in the New Lodge area and that is how it should be where there are health and safety concerns or clear local opposition.

Residents worried about these structures need to be able to turn to public bodies to enforce all available regulations.

Ultimately, this should not become a political row about culture but an effort to address legitimate concerns.