Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have put forward an amendment and we did so following extensive debate on Committee Stage and, subsequently, in consultation with the officials. The Minister made a commitment to my colleague Deputy Darragh O'Brien and to Deputy Clare Daly on Committee Stage that he would make explicit reference to the new guidelines of the WHO. Based on that, we were happy to withdraw our amendments on Committee Stage but we indicated we would be resubmitting them on Report Stage, which we have done. Having listened to the Minister's reply to Deputy Coppinger, however, I am none the wiser about how he intends, in his amendment, to deal with the concerns raised over the reference to the WHO's new guidelines. I am conscious that these guidelines were issued subsequent to the EU directive. Had they been out in advance, I have no doubt they would have been explicitly outlined. They are outlined in the statement of the Commission on the revision of Directive No. 2002/249/EC. Based on the work the WHO is currently undertaking regarding the methodology to assess the health implications of the noise impact, the Commission intends to revise Annex III to Directive No. 2002/249/EC. The Minister gave an indication that he would make a clear and explicit reference to the guidelines in the legislation. I hope he will honour his commitment.

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