Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 6, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following:

“ “Balanced Approach” means both the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) agreed hierarchy of measures designed to reduce the adverse impact of aircraft noise on those living in the vicinity of an airport, described as ICAO’s Balanced Approach and the recommendations for aircraft noise published in the World Health Organisation’s report Night Noise Guidelines for Europe 2018, produced at the request of the EU’s Environmental Ministers;”.

Essentially both amendments are the same but mine has a little bit extra. It proposes to insert a definition for “balanced approach” based on EU Regulation No. 598/2014. It will also include the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s agreed hierarchy of measures and the World Health Organization’s night noise guidelines for Europe 2018.

The whole purpose of the legislation is to enhance the position for those impacted by aircraft noise. The Bill is silent on the issue of health, which is one of the key reasons for this legislation. There have been substantial changes in society’s understanding of the impact of noise on human health. It would be remiss of us if we did not reflect this in the definition as one of the guiding principles to which the competent authority must pay attention.

The WHO’s 2018 environmental noise guidelines for the European region stated:

For average noise exposure, the [guideline development group, GDG,] strongly recommends reducing noise levels produced by aircraft below 45 dB, as aircraft noise above this level is associated with adverse health effects.

For night noise exposure, the GDG strongly recommends reducing noise levels produced by aircraft during night time below 40 dB, as night-time aircraft noise above this level is associated with adverse effects on sleep.

To reduce health effects, the GDG strongly recommends that policy-makers implement suitable measures to reduce noise exposure from aircraft in the population exposed to levels above the guideline values for average and night noise exposure.

For specific interventions the GDG recommends implementing suitable changes in infrastructure.

This is important because of adverse health effects among the exposed population. Many individuals have to adapt their lives to cope with the noise at night, and vulnerable groups are more severely affected. Therefore, we need to put what I propose in the definitions. I will press the amendment because it is quite important.