Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

63 Chapter 3: Environmental Noise When noise modelling data for round 4 mapping using the END threshold are compared with data using the threshold in the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region (WHO, 2018), the preliminary results show that the proportion of people exposed is higher using the WHO guideline level, as shown in Table 3.1. For the major rail and major airport areas that were also modelled, the numbers of people exposed to noise levels above the L den mandatory reporting thresholds were approximately 82,600 and 13,400, respectively. 3 3 Noise modelling for round 4 mapping used 2021 data (per the requirements of the END), when there were 8.5 million passengers using Dublin Airport, while in 2023 there were 32 million passengers using the airport. This was due to the removal of COVID-19 restrictions and the opening of the new north runway. L night figures are given in Table 3.2 for comparison with Table 3.1. Figure 3.4 is an illustrative map showing population exposure to road traffic noise at night for Limerick city (L night ). Table 3.2  Number of people in dwellings in Cork, Dublin and Limerick exposed to road traffic noise – L night Cork Dublin Limerick Noise level (dB) L night All roads (No. people) Major roads (No. people) All roads (No. people) Major roads (No. people) All roads (No. people) Major roads (No. people) 45-49 49,200 25,600 301,500 186,600 22,600 16,200 50-54 20,800 12,400 169,200 104,800 10,000 7200 55-59 5400 4400 78,400 54,700 800 700 60-64 1900 1900 33,000 29,000 400 400 65-69 400 400 6300 6200 100 100 ≥ 70 0 0 400 400 0 0 Total number of people exposed to noise above 50 a 28,500 19,100 287,300 195,100 11,300 8400 Total number of people exposed to noise above 45 b 77,700 44,700 588,800 381,700 33,900 24,600 Total population 219,287 219,287 1,355,968 1,355,968 101,029 101,029 Proportion (above 50) a 13% 9% 21% 14% 11% 8% Proportion (above 45) b 35% 20% 43% 28% 34% 24% Note: Exposure statistics rounded to the nearest 100. a EU reporting threshold (END). b WHO guideline level (as night-time road traffic noise above 45 dB L night can be associated with adverse effects on sleep).