Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
826. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if septic tanks will have to be registered again in five year's time; if so, if this registration will carry a further fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17092/13]
View answer827. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if exceptional personal circumstances, such as ill health and hospitalisation, can be taken into consideration in individual cases where the 1 February registration deadline was missed in relation to the registration of domestic wastewater treatment systems; if not, if he will confirm if a person who missed the deadline due to such personal circumstances may be disqualified for future grant funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17098/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 826 and 827 together.
The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provides that a certificate of registration for a domestic waste water treatment system is valid for a period of five years from the date on which it was issued. The Act also provides that on or before the date on which a certificate of registration is due to expire, the owner of a premises connected to a domestic waste water treatment system will be required to renew the certificate of registration. The Act does not provide for a re-registration fee and I have no plans to introduce such a fee.
I have announced my intention to introduce a grant scheme to provide financial assistance to households whose septic tanks and other domestic wastewater treatment systems are deemed to require remediation following an inspection under the Water Services (Amendment) Act, 2012. The grant scheme will only apply to treatment systems which are the subject of an Advisory Notice issued by a water services authority following an inspection carried out under the 2012 Act and based on the EPA's risk-based inspection plan which was published on 19 February 2013. Full details of the grants scheme , including eligibility criteria, will be set out in regulations which I will make in advance of inspections commencing later this year.
