Brendan Hughes

More than £1.4 million was spent by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive between 2022 and 2025 to protect and repair property near annual bonfires, including boarding up buildings and clearing debris. Additional costs were incurred by other public bodies, such as the Department for Infrastructure, Libraries NI and local councils, with some clean-ups involving asbestos removal. Officials and political representatives described bonfire management as complex and divisive, with calls for safer and regulated practices amid pressure on public services. A decade-old Stormont initiative to address cultural disputes has not produced an agreed way forward.

More than £1.4m was spent by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive between 2022 and 2025 to protect properties and clean up after July bonfires, with additional tens of thousands incurred by other public bodies. Costs covered protective measures such as boarding windows and removing downpipes, as well as post-bonfire debris removal and remediation, including asbestos-related cleanup by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Agencies described bonfire management as complex and frequently contentious, while political parties called for safer, regulated approaches amid wider concerns over public spending pressures.