A Bill to give local authorities full powers to tackle noise pollution, whether from loud parties, barking dogs or low-flying helicopters, was introduced in the Dáil last night.
"We're not looking for the impossible but we do believe that people are entitled to some peace and quiet," said Ciarán Cuffe (Green, DL) as he introduced his Noise Bill 2006 during Private Members' time.
Minister of State for the Environment Batt O'Keeffe said the Government would not oppose the Bill's introduction but its provisions were "premature pending further considering of the underlying issues", given existing legislation.
Mr Cuffe said: "We need remedies that are timely, effective and simple. The problem is that the current legislation is cumbersome, unwieldy and ineffective." The Bill provides for a "one-stop shop" for noise pollution, rather than current legislation, which "only deals with certain types of environmental noise and involves a huge range of bodies, including the courts."
The Bill aims to "simplify and enhance the system that protects people from forms of noise pollution that are inadequately tackled by the current laws".
Mr Cuffe added: "It's not so much the loudness of the noise as the persistence and the small noise that persists week in week out, from the air conditioning in the shop next door or from the neighbour who turns the noise up every weekend or even during the week."
Noise control officers would be employed by local authorities to take immediate action once a complaint was received and funding would be partially generated by fines accruing from breaches of the legislation, he proposed, in line with best practice in other cities.
However Mr O'Keeffe said that local authorities had significant powers to address environmental noise, under a number of Acts and regulations. Noise "is a very individual issue and some individuals on both sides of the argument . . . can be unreasonable."
