Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Tá áthas orm go bhfuil an Rialtas ag glacadh leis an mBille um Thorann 2006. Ceapaim go bhfuil sé an-tábhachtach go leanaimid ar aghaidh mar sin. Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Teachta Cuffe, an t-urlabhraí chomhshaoil sa Chomhaontas Glas, a chuir an Bille os comhair na Dála. The thrust of the Bill is important and has been recognised as such, which indicates that we are in touch with the fate of many of our constituents who are coming to us to express their concerns about noise. Fundamentally, we all agree on the idea of a one-stop-shop with a noise control officer — oifigeach smachtú torann, más maith leat. Hopefully, we will be able to act on that without further delay. Naturally, amendments will be tabled on Committee Stage where we will welcome further discussion of the issues involved.

The Government should reflect on the fact that noise is not an isolated issue. The increased fear of crime in rural and urban communities means that more people are installing burglar alarms. More people are also getting dogs even though they may not be in a position to look after them since they are not at home all day. There is a knock-on effect because society is suffering from other Government policies. Then there is the issue of flexible working hours which means some people try to sleep during the day, which was not as common in the past. In my constituency there are many cases of construction works infringing the permission that was given. In the Castlelands Pinewood area of Balbriggan people are being kept awake at night despite a requirement that building work stop at 6 p.m.

Reference is made in the Bill to private aircraft, helicopters and so on and others have raised this issue also. I represent a constituency that has seen the exponential expansion of Dublin Airport, at the expense of other airports that could do with some of that business. People living in the vicinity have found noise from engine testing, take off and landing has increased along with the noise associated with the airport's expansion whereby runways have been lengthened and another is planned.

It is interesting to read over the debate in this House surrounding the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992. Deputy Mary Harney, who was the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment at the time, deemed there was no need for further control of airport and aircraft related noise because not many flights took place at night, bar the occasional charter flight. Times have changed; a European directive of 4 December 1989 requires control of airport noise yet 17 years later no action has been taken. Far from being far-sighted in accepting this Bill, the Government has been found wanting on the issue to date and must take action to catch up.

My constituency colleague, Deputy Seán Ryan and former Green Party Deputy, Roger Garland, tried to have an amendment added to the Environmental Protection Agency Act on this issue and were told it was not necessary. It is necessary now and I suggest to the Minister of State that the legislation be re-examined so that people can have the quality of life they have come to expect.

We must take account of the damage done by aircraft noise currently. Some 11,710 pupils live in the vicinity of Dublin Airport, I can supply a list of the schools if necessary, and international studies show that exposure to aircraft noise impairs reading ability, long-term memory and speech perception. A study in New York from 1997 showed that aircraft noise creates poor listeners who do not read as well as children in quiet schools. A study of noise from aircraft in Munich showed it caused increased neuroendocrine and cardiovascular activity and reduced reading ability in children living near airports. Another New York study showed higher blood pressure in such children while a study from Los Angeles showed a reduced ability to solve cognitive problems. These are all real costs felt by society as a result of a lack of regulation on aircraft noise. I suggest to the Minister of State that this legislation is badly needed along with regulation.

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