Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

I have stated on a number of occasions that I will keep under review the need to provide financial support to households whose domestic waste water treatment systems are deemed, following inspection, to require substantial remediation or upgrading. The need for any such support will be only become clearer when inspections are being carried out. At that stage, more information regarding the nature and extent of problems with domestic waste water treatment systems and the type and cost of pragmatic remedial actions that may be required to address these and remove the risks posed to public health or the environment by failing systems will be available. Any scheme of support will need to have regard to budgetary constraints and to the financial position of the individual households concerned.

Draft performance standards, which include operation, maintenance and de-sludging requirements, have been prepared by my Department in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and were published on 1 March. The consultation document has been drafted in an easy-to-understand format so that it is clear to everyone what the standards involve. If it had been issued as a draft statutory instrument, the legal format and language may have proved confusing for some people. That should not happen now.

The draft standards elaborate on the basic requirements for all domestic waste water treatment systems set out in the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 that the system does not cause a risk to public health or the environment. The consultation document provides more detail regarding the responsibilities of owners of domestic waste water treatment systems. These include requirements for the removal of sludge and for ensuring the system is in working order and functioning properly.

The public consultation process will be open until 30 March and I encourage all interested parties to consider the consultation document and, if they wish, to make submissions to my Department on the draft performance standards before the closing date. The submissions will be reviewed by my Department prior to finalising the content of the regulations, which will be made under section 70L of the Act. The regulations will give legal effect to the standards. As soon as the regulations are made, the relevant statutory instrument will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas for approval in accordance with section 18 of the Water Services Act 2007.

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