Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Minister needs to go back to the drawing board with this legislation. I do not believe it is good enough. It provides for what would be an undue and unjust imposition on householders in rural Ireland and this case has been put to him time after time not only by Opposition Deputies but also by Deputies in his own party.

I am sure the Minister does not need to be told the extent of the concern this legislation has raised across the country, as he must be aware of it. I am also conscious of the double standards of members of the last Government who had years to address the need to protect our water and our land from pollution to comply with the relevant EU directives and to put in place a fair and equitable response. They failed to do so and now some of them are parading the country trying to drum up support for themselves on the back of this issue. It is perhaps appropriate that some members of Fianna Fáil believe septic tanks can be a basis for their revival, given the toxicity of their party and the depths to which it has descended. Notwithstanding those double standards, many in rural Ireland have genuine and justified concerns regarding the legislation. Those concerns must be listened to and acted upon. I appeal to the Minister to take action in respect of them.

There is an absolute need to address the pollution of our environment by effluent from septic tanks. Water quality is a major issue which must be addressed in an effective manner. We would be obliged to do so, regardless of whether there were EU directives relating to this matter and whether there were hefty fines for failing to implement such directives. The problem lies in the manner in which implementation is proposed. This Bill, once again, targets additional fees at householders. We are concerned, in the main, with rural householders who have provided themselves with septic tanks at their own expense. Unlike most urban dwellers, they do not have access to the facilities provided by local authorities. In the immediate aftermath of the general election, but before he became Minister, Deputy Hogan promised a local stimulus package that would include septic tank remediation. There has been no discussion in respect of this package since the Minister took office. That is part of the problem.

The proposed system of inspection and fees gives rise to questions as to whether what is being done here relates to the Government being seen to implement the directive or whether it is about achieving real results and protecting our land and water from pollution. Rather than waste resources on establishing a new regime of inspection, Sinn Féin proposes that inspections be carried out by local authorities. In line with the Minister's thinking on this matter immediately after the general election, we have put forward a scheme of income-related grants in respect of septic tank remediation. Our clear aim must be to clean up our environment not to raise revenue but rather to fund a system of inspection. For these reasons, the Bill in its present form is, regrettably, unacceptable. There is time to get it right.

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