Written answers

Wednesday, 28 November 2018

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Noise Pollution Legislation

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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243. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he has taken to ensure that the DAA take steps to enforce the WHO guidelines regarding exposure to noise at 40 dB at night and 45 dB during the day, with particular reference to its ongoing development of the new runway at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49803/18]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is in the process of publishing a Bill to provide for the implementation EU Regulation 598/2014, which deals with aircraft noise at airports. That Bill will designate Fingal County Council as the independent noise regulator for Dublin Airport. It will be a matter for the regulator, when established, to decide upon the most appropriate measures to be implemented at Dublin Airport to mitigate any identified noise problem.

I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, that the Environmental Noise Directive requires Member States to prepare and publish strategic noise maps and noise management action plans. In Ireland, this Directive was transposed by the Environmental Noise Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 140/2006), and for its purposes the daa is designated as the noise mapping body for Dublin Airport. Under the Directive, following the preparation of noise maps, local authorities are required to prepare noise action plans. These action plans are designed to manage noise issues and effects, and it involves the prevention and reduction of environmental noise. It is important to note, however, that the Directive does not set limit or target values, nor does it prescribe the measures to be included in the action plans.

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