Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In Wexford, there are two members of staff working on this. The local authority inspected 54 tanks in the first year and it hopes to inspect 104 this year. At this rate, it will take over 200 years to inspect all septic tanks. I said initially and it is a fact that half the tanks in Wexford are faulty. Therefore, we are poisoning the water table. This system must change. At present, one cannot request an inspection even if one knows there is a problem with it, and third party complaints are being ignored. If one carries out the work oneself, one cannot apply for a grant retrospectively. The fact is that if one is not on the council system, one cannot possibly qualify for a grant. This is not a good structure and the Minister would find it hard to stand over it. He did not invent it and I am not saying it is his fault, but I believe a new structure needs to be put in place. The contamination of the water table is a serious issue. The Department of Health should be seriously concerned about it.

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