Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I know Members opposite are sensitive about this because they have been at public meetings advocating people should not register, pay or comply with good practice to ensure clean water supply. What am I to do when I hear the views expressed here today in a rather hypocritical way? The greatest nonsense of all time is that those who advocated a universal septic tank inspection regime and for 2009 EPA regulations in the past are now saying the risk-based approach we have succeeded in getting from the European Commission is inadequate. I suppose the Members opposite are against the €5 registration fee.

Regarding Deputy Stanley's question, if a household requires financial assistance, I will not rule it out. However, we will not know that until the inspections are carried out in 2013.

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