Dublin Agglomeration Noise Action Plan for the Agglomeration of Dublin

The Environmental Noise Directive (END) requires local authorities to draw-up plans of action which will include measures to 'address priorities which may be identified by the exceeding of any relevant limit value or by other criteria chosen by the Member State and apply in particular to the most important areas as established by strategic noise mapping'.

Like the noise maps, revision of these plans is required every 5 years. Both these initiatives are aimed at developing strategic policy and managing environmental noise. It is acknowledged, however, that most complaints about noise are usually related to local issues, such as noises caused by neighbours, entertainment or construction.

For this reason, Dublin City Council's Noise Action Plans (below) lay out approaches as to how the Council will manage all environmental noise issues, whether strategic or local, regulated or unregulated. The plans set out how the Council deals with local noise nuisances and complaints along with planning, development and traffic management issues. (The plans do not, however, cover noise in relation to health and safety in the work place, noise inside any means of transport or noise caused by military activities in military areas.)