Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

I asked a question concerning what happens if an environmental group, or a body which calls itself an environmental group, takes a case to Europe. I believe he answered that in saying he has this squared with Europe. The one thing I ask the Minister to do is to give people some time to get septic tanks remedied where they are found to be defective. I know it will have to be risk-based; if a septic tank is polluting the public water supply time cannot be lost and I understand this. I would not ask any local authority to back-pedal on this and if it must be done quickly then it must be done quickly. The Bill states it must be done by a date. The Minister probably left it like this to give people latitude. Guidelines will be issued from the Department to local authority inspectors and they should state that a reasonable approach should be taken.

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