COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 12, 2011

QUESTION NO. 9

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Manager, further to my question at the October meeting, to provide a detailed list of the locations of noise maps which are in preparation, or to be prepared, by this council before the deadline of the 30th June 2012?

REPLY:

Review of Dublin Agglomeration Noise Maps (2007) under the Environmental Noise Regulations, S.I. No. 140 of 2006

Under the above regulations, the following are designated Noise Mapping Bodies (NMB) for the agglomeration of Dublin:

¨      4 Dublin Local authorities – South Dublin, Dublin City, Fingal and Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown

¨      National Roads Authority

¨      Irish Rail

¨      Railway Procurement Agency, and

¨      Dublin Airport Authority.

The above NMBs between them cover all of the designated noise sources below. The relevant NMB who has particular responsibility is indicated after each one

• Roads

• National roads with more than 3 million vehicle movements per year –  NRA
• Regional roads with over 3m/year – the relevant local authority
• All other roads which may produce an exposure above the reporting thresholds in the END directive, 55dB Lden, and 50Db Lnight – the relevant local authority.

• Railways
  • Rail lines with more than 30,000 train passages/year – Iarnród Eireann/RPA
  • Rail lines with less than  30,000/year – relevant local authority

• Aircraft
  • Airports with more than 50,000 movements per year – Dublin Airport Authority
  • Airports with less than 50,000/year – relevant local authority

• Industry
  • IPPC licensed sites – relevant local authority.

For each of the above assessments the following details must be provided to the EPA In the current round of the noise mapping before 30^TH June 2012.  

1                    the strategic noise maps

2                    The area exposure assessment

3                    Dwelling exposure assessment

4                    Population exposure assessment, and

5                    Submission of reports and results to EPA. 

South Dublin Council’s primary involvement and function is in the roads network. The Council is expanding it’s noise network in line with the END directive. Five sites have been selected and 24 hour noise monitoring is either on-going or will commence in the next two weeks in the following places 

1                    SDCC Headquarters, Tallaght

2                    West Tallaght Leisure Centre, Cheeverstown Road

3                    St. Columcilles Secondary School, Knocklyon.

4                    SDCC Parks Dept, Esker Park, Lucan

5                    SDCC Drainage Department, Deansrath, Clondalkin  

It is important to note that the noise maps are computer generated models after inputs primarily from traffic data in this county. The noise monitors above are the support and validation process that the modelling of the maps is accurate.