“ I would like to think we've moved on from that because they're just pollutants."
Micheál Martin has said that he used to think bonfires were "the bee's knees" as a kid but now wants to see them "eliminated".
The Taoiseach told the Dáil on Wednesday that he thought burning tyres for bonfires as a child was great, however, he now believes they are out of date and a pollutant.
Responding to a question about increasing levels of anti-social behaviour during Halloween he said that he would "encourage the elimination" of the tradition.
“ I would like to think we've moved on from that because they're just pollutants,” he said.
“I think with bonfires we should be encouraging their elimination.
“I participated in bonfires myself. I was in my local primary school recently and was shown photographs of a bonfire up the road from where I lived.
“We thought we were the bee's knees - but when I think of all those black tyres that we burned, when we were sitting around thinking this is great, it was pollution."
He added that they can be dangerous and contribute to widespread destruction and anti-social behaviour which he wants to see being "stamped down on".
"And in terms of what's happening with them today with anti-social behaviour, that should be stamped down on," Martin added.
