Environmental noise is ‘unwanted or harmful outdoor sound’ arising from all areas of our everyday activity. In Ireland, the biggest exposure to environmental noise comes from transport including road traffic, railways and aircraft. Exposure to environmental noise can typically cause feelings of annoyance and this can include a wide range of negative feelings such as disturbance, dissatisfaction and distress.
Noise and your health
Long-term exposure to environmental noise can:
- seriously harm your health, including your mental health;
- interfere with your daily activities at school, at work, at home and during leisure time;
- contribute towards heart disease and psychophysiological effects, and
- reduce performance through sleep deprivation, provoke feelings of annoyance and anger and some changes in behaviour.
Exposure to environmental noise from road traffic, railways, aircraft and industry contribute every year to about 48,000 new cases of heart disease, and 12,000 premature deaths (EEA, 2020b). Offaly County Council has prepared a 5 year Noise Action Plan 2018 – 2023 and is due to release the third action plan 2024 – 2029 in Spring of 2024.
Noise Action Plan 2018 – 2023
Relating to Major Roads within County Offaly carrying more than 3,000,000 vehicle passages per year.