Galway Bay fm newsroom - A Gort woman who complained that church-goers were making too much noise using loud drums and amplified music has had her noise pollution case dismissed.
Sandra Broderick's apartment at The Grove, Kinnincha Road in Gort, is located above a premises used by the Assembly of God Church for its services.
According to the Irish Independent, Sandra Broderick took the noise pollution case under the Environmental Protection Agency Act before Ennis District Court.
Ms Broderick told Judge Patrick Durcan said she had "no issue with the church being here at all. It is just too loud".
The paper reports that the judge visited the church and Ms Broderick's apartment last week to give himself a better understanding of the issues involved.
Yesterday he threw out the claim, saying the situation faced by Ms Broderick during church services "is a little bit like living over a busy pub at weekends - you have to take the consequences".
Ms Broderick told the court that she met with church members at the weekend as well as the solicitor for the church's pastor, and they agreed on a maximum amplified sound level of 21.
She said the parties could not agree on the use of the drums.
In his ruling, Judge Durcan said he was satisfied that the assembly of a number of people using musical instruments did in all likelihood cause a noise disturbance.
However, he said the reality was that Galway County Council granted planning permission to the Assembly of God Church for the unit to be used for religious services.
