Vol. 563 No. 1
524 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he proposes to introduce new legislation to ensure that local authorities have some power in dealing with serious noise arising from house alarms going off at unsociable hours; and if he proposes to introduce legislation to allow the Garda or the local authority officials to enter a premises in order to eliminate the nuisance. [6962/03]
I refer to the replies to Parliamentary Question No. 157 of 10 October 2002 and Parliamentary Question No. 910 of 29 January 2003.
Section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 provides local authorities with powers to require measures to be taken to prevent or limit noise. I am aware that Dublin City Council, for example, regularly uses these powers in relation to noise from intruder alarms.
In addition, I understand a Private Security Services Bill, sponsored by my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, is currently before Dáil Éireann. The Bill provides for a private security authority to license, control and supervise all alarm installers and for the authority to have powers to maintain and improve standards in the provision of services, including standards for intruder alarms.
In light of the above there are no plans to introduce further legislation on intruder alarms.
