Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have previously raised in the House the issue of noise mitigation measures along motorways in general. It is particularly pertinent for me because I live 500 m from the Dunkettle interchange and over the years, with the increasing volume of traffic on the motorway and in the surrounding areas, noise has become a definite issue for people. This matter also relates to Harper’s Island, which is a bird and wildlife sanctuary just off the motorway in Glounthaune. The Minister will be very familiar with Glounthaune as he spent time there when he was growing up. I want to introduce that to the debate. It is not just an issue about noise levels but also a health issue for the people who live in the surrounding areas. As I said, it is also an environmental issue because of the environmental implications, which is another reason I am raising it.

I understand from dealing with this issue in the past that the Minister’s script is, more or less, going to tell me that it is fundamentally the responsibility of the local authority and that when it comes to developing new roads, in particular new motorways, any mitigation required at that point should be built into the scheme as it progresses, but any existing road or scheme is essentially the responsibility of the local authority. The difficulty I have with this logic is that roads get busier and noisier, in particular at the Dunkettle interchange, which is a massive interchange with a massive volume of traffic. It is only right that we have flexibility into the future, and that flexibility should be provided for local authorities to mitigate against the worst effects of noise.

I understand that noise mitigation plans must be completed every few years. The current noise mapping shows there are clear breaches of the acceptable decibel limits along this corridor. That has been mapped and is a known fact, yet we are still in this position and no measures are being taken to mitigate against the worst impacts of noise. I understand the EPA has a role in monitoring this and, therefore, between the EPA and the local authority, there are plenty of people making action plans and plenty of people monitoring noise, but nobody has the money or budget to do anything about it.

Deputy O'Dea has an issue with this in Limerick too and has raised it in the past. I think Deputy Lahart has also raised it. We made a plea to various Ministers that this be included as a line item in the budget. Unfortunately that has not transpired. We are burying our heads in the sand thinking this is not an issue for the communities that live particularly close to motorways the length and breadth of the country.

Returning to Harper’s Island, millions of euro in government money has been spent there in grants in recent years on preparing that facility. It is a wonderful facility. People go there for quiet walks and, most importantly, it is the central location in Cork harbour for wintering birds. Anyone in BirdWatch Ireland or anyone related to that site or anyone in the Glounthaune Community Association will say that the constant noise emanating from the motorway is having an adverse effect on the birds in particular and the wildlife there. I can predict the Minister’s script. I do not necessarily blame the Minister but I am just asking if we can find a way to navigate the provision of funding, most importantly, to local authorities and get someone to step up and take responsibility for the issue.

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