Monitoring and Assessment: Noise

There are a number of steps open to you under the law when you are experiencing a nuisance caused by noise. The procedures detailed below are designed to cover general neighbourhood type noise problems, such as continual noise from other houses, home workshops, local businesses, etc. The Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (Noise) Regulations, 1994 (S.I. No.179 of 1994) provide redress in the case of these types of problems. They are designed to allow straightforward access to the Courts by individuals or groups concerned about excessive noise.

When can I take action to deal with noise as a nuisance?

Whenever you consider noise to be so loud, so continuous, so repeated, or of such duration or pitch, or occurring at such times that it gives you reasonable cause for annoyance, you can initiate action to deal with it.

What action can I take?

Initially, it may be sufficient to explain to whoever is causing the noise that it is a nuisance and come to some mutually acceptable understanding. If this does not resolve the matter, you will need to take the following steps:

• Contact your local authority for assistance on general neighbourhood noise, as detailed above. Noise complaints about privately rented accommodation should be directed to the landlord and the relevant city or county council in the case of local authority housing.
• Contact the EPA if you want to make a complaint about an EPA-licenced activity.
• You may exercise your right to make a formal complaint to the District Court seeking an Order to deal with the nuisance. Forms are available from the District Court office.

Environmental noise is "unwanted sound" arising from all areas of human activity, such as noise from transport, industrial, and recreational activities. Excessive noise can:

• seriously harm human health, including mental health.
• interfere with people’s daily activities at school, at work, at home, and during leisure time.
• disrupt sleep, cause cardiovascular and psychophysiological effects.
• lower performance, lead to annoyance responses, and changes in social behaviour.

In Ireland, we would normally consider noise complaints under four main categories:

• entertainment.
• domestic/neighbourhood noise.
• industrial/commercial activities.
• transport-related noise.

Initially, it may be sufficient to explain to the dog owner causing the noise that it's a nuisance and come to some mutually acceptable understanding.

However, persistent problems arising from barking dogs are covered under the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 & 1992.  A copy of the Form used for complaints to the courts about noise from dogs is available from your local authority (city or council).

Information on the roles of the various competent authorities is provided below.  

Dublin Airport Authority (DAA)              

The DAA has numerous policies and procedures in place in dealing with different elements of noise around the airport. Dublin Airport have their own WebTrak Flight Monitoring System, which allows members of the public to monitor flights and submit noise complaints.

The Dublin Airport complaints procedure allows for an investigation by their Noise and Flight Track Analyst into any given complaint to determine whether and aircraft has breached the environmental noise corridor. For more information, see Dublin Airport Noise.

Air Nav Ireland

Air Nav Ireland oversee all aircraft arriving and departing Dublin Airport. Air Nav Ireland provides air traffic control services in Ireland and controls the routes that aircraft follow.

Air traffic management plays a vital role not only in delivering a safe and cost-efficient air navigation services, but also in minimising the adverse effects of civil aviation, notably aircraft noise and engine emissions. The Flight Track Monitoring Service of DAA regularly meet with Air Nav Ireland to carry out a review of aircraft movements in the vicinity of the airport. Further information is available on the Air Nav Ireland website.

Airport Noise Competent Authority (ANCA)

The Airport Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) has the responsibility of ensuring that noise generated by aircraft at Dublin Airport is assessed in accordance with EU and Irish Legislation. ANCA monitors compliance with noise mitigation measures and operating restrictions at Dublin Airport. Where a noise problem is identified, ANCA ensures that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) balanced approach to aircraft noise management is adopted. For more information see Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) Fingal County Council.

The ANCA Aircraft Noise Mitigation report for Dublin Airport explains the various steps surrounding aircraft noise mitigation along with the different roles the associated competent authorities play in maintaining such procedures. The report Aircraft Noise Mitigation at Dublin Airport also gives relevant competent authority contact details.

According to the ANCA, any aircraft noise complaints should continue to be made to the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). 

Fingal County Council

Fingal County Council are responsible for any planning-related matters at the airport. This can include enforcement actions if the airport authorities are deemed to breach existing planning conditions.

Fingal County Council is also responsible for developing the Dublin Airport Noise Action Plan (NAP), as is required under the Environmental Noise Regulations. The NAP is designed to manage noise issues and effects associated with Dublin Airport, and, where necessary, present measures to reduce the adverse effects of aviation noise where practical.  A 6-8 week public consultation phase on the draft NAP will be undertaken by Fingal County Council.

An Bord Pleanála

The North Runway was originally granted planning permission in August 2007 by An Bórd Pleanála (to be renamed an Coimisiún Pleanála), subject to conditions that include limitations on night-time use of both the new North Runway and Dublin Airport as a whole. In December 2020, the DAA submitted a planning application to modify conditions associated with the new North Runway.

The Airport Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) carried out a detailed noise impact assessment of Dublin Airport’s proposals and made a Draft Regulatory Decision in 2021. The Draft Regulatory Decision proposed the introduction of noise mitigation measures to ensure that issues of concern identified in the assessment can be managed in both the short and longer term.

In August 2022, the planning permission was approved by Fingal County Council. The decision allows for new rules around night-time flights to come into effect at Dublin Airport, as put forward by the ANCA. Fingal County Council's decision has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála. It is expected that an appeal decision will be issued by An Bord Pleanála in 2024.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the national authority for overseeing the implementation of the Environmental Noise Regulations 2018, as amended. This includes supervisory and advisory functions in relation to strategic noise mapping and noise action planning (every 5 years) for major roads, major rail, major airports, and for large agglomerations (Dublin, Cork & Limerick).

The principal stakeholders in Round 4 mapping are the Noise Mapping Bodies (NMBs) which included the local authorities and the DAA. Further information on noise mapping and action plans is available on the EPA website.

The Round 4 Strategic Noise Maps are published at EPA Maps. Airport maps are also available on the DAA website. The Round 4 noise maps are based on 2021 data ,as required by the legislation and guidance from the European Environment Agency, and therefore do not include the new airport runway, which commenced operations in August 2022.

The Dublin Airport Noise Action Plan (NAP) is due to be published in January 2025, and there will be a public consultation phase in 2024. The EPA provides technical noise guidance on how to prepare the maps and action plans.

The EPA does not have an enforcement role in relation to noise emissions arising from the operation of Dublin Airport. However, the EPA provides noise complaints section on their website. This section outlines the different types of noise complaints and provides links to the relevant competent authorities.

The DAA has a noise complaint procedure on its website, which outlines how a noise complaint can be made and how it is investigated.

The DAA operate a Noise and Flight Track Analyst to investigate each complaint individually to determine whether an aircraft has breached the environmental noise corridor. The corridors are the designated airspace that aircraft using the runways at Dublin Airport are expected to fly within.

If it is concluded that an aircraft has breached the environmental noise corridor, then a letter is sent to the complainant confirming this, and details of the breach are then sent to the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA-ANSP) for further investigation. The result of the IAA-ANSP investigation is conveyed to the DAA Noise and Flight Track Analyst, and a letter is then sent to the complainant regarding the results of the IAA-ANSP’s investigation.

Using WebTrak, you can track the flight activity in to and out of Dublin Airport, along with information about each aircraft.