Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

I thought for a moment that the Minister of State would accept the Bill and allow us to get on to Committee Stage, where we could iron out the minor difficulties in the Bill. Sadly, he changed his tune at the last minute.

On behalf of Fine Gael, I thank the Green Party for introducing this Bill. While we, like the Minister of State, have some reservations about aspects of the Bill, it is a worthy effort and we will vote for it with a view to discussing the details on Committee Stage. That is what the Minister of State should have advocated.

Anyone who lives in a built-up area knows the nuisance and distress noise can cause. Car alarms, house alarms and building work at ungodly hours are par for the course these days, particularly with developers trying to finish estates at night. Apartment life has greatly increased existing problems. Poor insulation in new apartment blocks means the neighbour's burglar alarm is not just a distant irritant but a serious disturbance. It is for those reasons we intend to view the Bill in a sympathetic light and we urge the Minister of State to do likewise, although he killed that hope in his speech.

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