asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that considerable environmental damage is being caused by the use of burglar alarm systems which continue to ring endlessly at night-time or throughout weekends without any system whereby they can be turned off; and the action he proposes to take to ensure that the owners of such alarm systems are responsible for their operation and must ensure that alarm systems do not ring endlessly and cause disturbance to neighbours.
Written Answers. - Burglar Alarm Noise.
57.
I am not aware of any serious environmental damage caused by noise from burglar alarms. Complaints of this nature are dealt with by the relevant local authority. However, I note from the Dublin Corporation Environment Pollution report for 1986/87, that of the 66 complaints about noise received in that period, only one was about burglar alarms.
The principal legislation with regard to noise nuisance is contained in section 51 of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, as amended by the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1976. I have no plans to introduce new legislation for the control of noise.