Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I agree with Deputy Naughten's last point about giving advice and support to householders to minimise the impact on our ground water and to minimise potential environmental damage in the future caused by the use of certain products. This is in tune with my basic philosophy on local government that there should be a devolved function in so far as possible for many of our national policy objectives which are also being pursued by our agencies. These functions should be carried out at local level by local authority staff and this is my policy.

I confirm that the EPA is carrying out research to find necessary solutions in the instances referred to by the Deputy. I expect a report in the near future about potential solutions. I emphasise that every possible effort will be made to find solutions which will be reasonable for people and which will solve the problem of the over-riding concern, the protection of ground water. The matter of financial assistance does not arise until 2013 or 2014 because all we are doing next year is asking people to register.

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