Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 January 2016
470. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a person receives a grant for work on a household septic tank, if there is a timeframe in which the work has to be carried out; if the work is inspected afterwards to establish that it was carried out and that it is up to standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2955/16]
View answerThe Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, brought into operation a grants scheme to assist with the cost of remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed, following inspection under the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Inspection Plan, to require repair or upgrading.
The Regulations provide that, subject to the applicant meeting all qualification criteria, a local authority may pay a grant to a person who is required, following an inspection, to have repairs or upgrades to, or replacement of, a septic tank or other domestic waste water treatment system. Full details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, are clearly set out in the explanatory leaflet and application form published on my Department’s website at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/Water/FileDownLoad,33607,en.pdf.
Householders who do not meet the eligibility criteria included in the above regulations but wish to remediate or upgrade their on-site treatment systems may qualify for relief under the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) Scheme introduced under Section 5 of the Finance (No. 2.) Act 2013. The HRI scheme covers main residence repairs, renovations and improvements, including the repair or replacement of septic tanks. The scheme is administered by the Revenue Commissioners and full details are published on the Revenue Commissioner’s website (www.revenue.ie).
Section 70 H of the Water Services Act 2007, as inserted under the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012, provides for the issue by a water services authority of an Advisory Notice, subsequent to an inspection, which specifies the date by which the necessary remediation work is to be carried out. The timeframe for remediation work is set by the water services authority on a case-by-case basis and will depend on factors such as the nature of the failing revealed by the inspection and the element of risk to human health or the environment. The Act also provides that the water services authority will carry out such further inspections of the treatment system in question as it considers appropriate to ensure that the matters specified in the Advisory Notice have been remedied.
