Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

68 Chapter 3: Environmental Noise A national protocol for local authorities to deal with noise complaints (NIECE, 2016) provided a more integrated approach to addressing noise issues in Ireland. However, in view of the increasing number of noise complaints nationally, this could be an area to consider further, and the protocol is due to be revised in 2024. Figure 3.7  General noise complaints received by local authorities and noise complaints about EPA- licensed sites received by the EPA (2019-2022) 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 2022 2021 2020 2019 ˜ Complaints to local authorities ˜ Complaints to EPA (licensed sites) 184 1717 313 1937 663 2274 729 1991 7 Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail; www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/search?q=noise&c=3055 (accessed 24 April 2024). Noise complaints made about industrial activities licensed by the EPA At least half of all complaints received by the EPA about EPA-licensed sites in 2022 related to noise issues (EPA, 2023b). Figure 3.7 shows the number of noise complaints received for the years 2019-2022 for industrial emissions-licensed facilities regulated by the EPA. While the data show that noise complaints have been increasing since 2019, over 300 complaints each year (2021-2022) relate to just one facility. Between 2019 and 2022, 13 compliance investigations addressing noise concerns at EPA-licensed sites were undertaken by the EPA. Eight of these were new with five having been instigated before 2019. The noise complaints mainly related to food and drink licensed sites. See Chapter 13 for more information about the regulation of industry. Noise complaints made about transport sources The main bodies responsible for investigating road traffic noise complaints are TII and local authorities. TII is responsible for the management of motorways and the national road network in Ireland. Local authorities are largely responsible for all other roads in Ireland (regional, public and local roads). While Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail provides information on environmental noise and strategic noise maps on its website, 7 it does not have a specific section there that deals with noise complaints. Dublin Airport’s WebTrak Flight Monitoring System allows members of the public to monitor flights and submit noise complaints (Topic Box 3.1).