Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is disingenuous to charge for wastewater removal in many parts of Ireland. I refer to a so-called SAC, about which environmentalists are great at talking and on which the EPA has done two reports. It is near Glenamaddy in County Galway and 200 tonnes of raw sewage is being pumped into it. People are being asked to pay for something, even though there is no treatment facility. The same applies in other places around Ireland. In many small towns, people will be expected to pay for a Wavin pipe taking wastewater from their septic tank to be piped through the town or into rivers or streams.

Throughout Ireland, engineers from the councils are telling people that their septic tanks are not up to standard. There may only be one person living in the house. Even if they have registered, it is costing €10,000 to rectify the problem. The Government needs to look at small and even large towns where sewerage treatment plants have not been working probably. We are charging people for taking wastewater from A to B along a Wavin pipe. I totally object to this.

Before one charges people for something, the infrastructure should be put in place to supply the service properly. There seems to be one rule for the State and councils and another rule for the ordinary Joe soap who is being trampled on. Will the Minister address this rapidly?

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