I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 and 354 together.
In October 2009, the European Court of Justice ruled that Ireland failed to adopt the necessary legislation to comply with Articles 4 and 8 of Council Directive 75/442/EEC, known as the Waste Directive, regarding domestic waste waters disposed of in the countryside through septic tanks and other individual waste water treatment systems.
The Court has found that Irish legislation does not adequately provide for domestic waste water from septic tanks to be recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes which could harm the environment. It has also found that Irish legislation fails to provide for the prohibition of the uncontrolled disposal of such waste waters, a requirement of the Waste Directive, and does not adequately ensure that holders of such waste waters manage, recover or dispose of the waste waters in accordance with the provisions of the Directive.
The Government recently approved the urgent drafting of a Bill to provide for the establishment of a new system for the inspection and monitoring of the performance of all septic tanks and other on-site waste water treatment systems. The Bill will also include a requirement that treatment systems be maintained and de-sludged in accordance with manufacturers' instructions. The Bill will be published as soon as possible and my intention will be to pursue its early enactment.