DUBLIN PORT Company’s public consultation on its 30-year masterplan has been described as a “PR stunt” by local residents who say they cannot sleep because of night-time noise from the port’s main container terminal.
The Coastguard Station Residents Group, on Pigeon House Road, said: “Dublin Port promotes expansion but disregards planning legislation, local residents and local environment for their own gain – and still the noise continues three to four nights a week.”
Residents’ spokesman Alexander Downes had complained to Dublin City Council that three huge gantries at the Marine Terminals Ltd (MTL) container port opposite their houses did not have planning permission. This was confirmed by the council last March.
However, because the development was carried out in 2002, the council’s planners said they were “statute-barred” from taking any enforcement action against MTL due to the elapse of time as such action could only be taken within seven years.
The residents maintain the development is still illegal “and the net result is that we are being deprived of our sleep” by the noise that emanates from the terminal, which was found to be in excess of guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
A recent WHO report said noise pollution “is not only an environmental nuisance but also a threat to public health [and] leads to a disease burden that is second in magnitude only to that from air pollution”. It recommended strengthening limits on night noise.
At a meeting with Kevin Humphreys TD (Labour, Dublin South East), port company chief executive Eamon O’Reilly said it wanted to “resolve the noise issue” as it “has potential to create a bad reputation” for the port, according to minutes seen by The Irish Times.
