Call for calm reaction to early east Belfast bonfire collection

A number of pallets have appeared in the Avoniel and Cregagh areas sparking a debate over the legality of accumulating bonfire material for burning on publicly owned land.

The issue was highlighted on BBC radio on Tuesday when both UUP councillor Jim Rodgers and his PUP counterpart John Kyle defended the approach being taken by Belfast City Council.

Cllr Rodgers said he accepted that January was “much too early” to begin collecting wood, be said: “You can’t go in with a heavy hand otherwise you are going to make the situation much worse. These are young people who want to celebrate their culture, but we need to keep this story in perspective.”

He added: “Already community workers are talking to people who have been involved in gathering these pallets, pointing out to them that it’s much too early. We need to get the source of where the pallets are coming from.”

Also speaking on the Nolan Show, Cllr Kyle said: “Common sense and proportionality need to be applied. It is a matter of finding the best way to achieve a desired outcomes, and a sledgehammer to crack a nut is never a good idea. There has been real progress made in the area of bonfires over the past 12 years, but there still is a huge amount of work to do.”

A spokeswoman for the city council said: “We will work with local elected representatives and other partner agencies to minimise any issues arising. Our inter agency group will also continue to work with communities across Belfast to improve the way bonfires are managed.”