Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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157. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is considering introducing legislation or providing funding to reduce the impact of noise from motorways in particular the M50; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16098/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Climate, Energy, Communications , Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and securing exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme.

Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design and construction, including noise mitigation measures, for individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise was transposed into Irish law by the Environmental Noise Regulations, 2006. This legislation requires TII and local authorities to undertake strategic noise mapping every five years for all major roads carrying in excess of 8,250 annual average daily traffic (AADT). Noise maps identify and prioritise cluster areas which will require further assessment and may require mitigation measures to be put in place. Once strategic noise maps have been produced, the results are used for each local authority to develop Noise Action Plans as required by the Environmental Noise Regulations.

In relation to motorways, and the M50 in particular, I have referred your question to TII for a more detailed and direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.