Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 April 2015
29. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of septic tanks that his Department has inspected, both nationwide and in County Wexford; the number registered nationwide; the number of these in County Wexford; his views that the problems posed by septic tanks in rural areas are being properly addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15777/15]
View answerInspections under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Inspection Plan for domestic waste water treatment systems are carried out by suitably qualified local authority personnel. Neither I, nor my Department, have any direct role in monitoring the implementation of the EPA’s Plan by the local authorities. However, the EPA has conducted a review on the implementation of the Plan for the period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014. The report contains a breakdown, by county, of inspections that have taken place and includes details relating to non-compliant treatment systems and advisory notices. It is available on the Agency’s website at the following link: http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/wastewater/Report%20National%20Inspection%20Plan%20Web.pdf.
The EPA’s National Inspection Plan has been drawn up to best international standards and underpins the risk-based inspection of septic tanks and other on-site waste water treatment systems. The Plan prioritises enforcement activities and allocates resources where the greatest risks to human health or the environment exist. I am satisfied that the EPA’s inspection system is consistent with the necessity to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Waste Directive and the European Court of Justice ruling against Ireland in October 2009 and also has regard to the European Parliament and Council’s recommendations of 4 April 2001 regarding the minimum criteria for environmental inspections in the Member States (2001/331/EC).
As of 17 April 2015, a total of 453,811 domestic wastewater treatment systems were registered. Based on Census 2011 data, this represents over 91% of the total number of domestic wastewater systems in the country. The number of County Wexford registrations included in the above figure is 23,686.
