Hotel takes Iarnrod Eireann to court because of noise problem

Trains left running all night are keeping guests in a Sligo hotel awake, a court has been told.

The owners of the 100-bedroom Southern Hotel, adjacent to the town's railway station, have initiated legal proceedings against Iarnród Éireann.

The hotel, part of the McEniff group, has brought a complaint under the Environmental Protection Act.

The owners claim that trains left idling at the station from 10.30 p.m. to 7 a.m. cause annoyance to guests. Noise levels exceed the maximum recommended by the World Health Organisation to allow a person get a night's sleep, Sligo District Court was told.

Mr Gerard McCanny, solicitor for the Southern Hotel, said the problem had been going on for a number of years.

He said that despite efforts to resolve the problem the hotel had suffered an "unquantifiable" amount of damage, because it was unknown how many people had stayed away due to the noise problem.

Mr McCanny said his clients had contacted the rail company on several occasions in an effort to resolve the situation.

Mr Brian Hunt of ADA Accoustics gave evidence of measuring noise levels in rooms at the rear of hotel during the night. While a train was in the station he recorded a level of 50 decibels but when the train left it dropped to 28 decibels.

He said the WHO recommended a level of 30 to 35 decibels to allow somebody to get a night's sleep.

Judge Oliver McGuinness adjourned the case but it is expected the hearing will take place next week.