I understand that faulty alarms gave rise to 11% of the noise complaints made to Dublin Corporation in 2000, the third lowest of all categories of complaint listed. Nevertheless, I recognise that alarms are a source of neighbourhood noise. A number of arrangements are in place to reduce the incidence of unnecessary noise from alarms and to tackle persistent incidence of such noise.
The National Standards Authority of Ireland has published a voluntary standard specification, I.S. 199 of 1987, and operates a certification scheme to that standard, which, inter alia, specifies a minimum 15 minutes and maximum 30 minutes duration for the sounding of external alarms in buildings, with the alarm being required to cease automatically after the maximum duration. The connection of monitored business intruder alarm systems to Garda stations is contingent, inter alia, upon the use of alarm systems which are certified by NSAI and installed by certified installers.
A European standard for external intruder alarms, which will replace all current national standards, is in development and will incorporate considerably stricter controls regarding minimum and maximum duration for the sounding of alarms. The new limits are 90 seconds minimum and 15 minutes maximum and will be the only standard applicable once all elements of the new European standard are finalised.
I understand that the promulgation of the Irish standard, the development of the European standard, the requirements of the Garda for monitored alarms, improved equipment, and the co-operation of installers certified by the National Standards Authority of Ireland have, together, been instrumental in ensuring that the incidence of false alarms and the failure of audible alarms to cut off have been very significantly reduced. No standards have been set for the operation of car alarms.
Additional Information.Under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 (Noise) Regulations, 1994, a local authority or any person may seek an order in the District Court to have noise giving reasonable cause for annoyance abated. The procedures involved have been simplified to allow action to be taken without legal representation. A public information leaflet outlining the legal avenues available to persons experiencing noise nuisance is available from my Department.
In light of the above, I have no proposals to introduce further legislation in respect of noise arising from house or car alarm systems.