Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 4: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his views on financial grants for those rural households who must upgrade their septic tanks following inspection by his Department in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30522/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In October 2009, the European Court of Justice ruled that Irish legislation does not adequately provide for domestic waste water from septic tanks to be recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes which could harm the environment. Accordingly, the ECJ found that our legislation is, therefore, not compliant with the waste directive. I expect to bring a new Bill to establish a system of registration and risk-based inspection of septic tanks and other on-site systems to Government shortly seeking approval for its publication. Full details of how the new system will operate will be announced at that time.

The remedial action required on foot of an inspection of a septic tank under the new system will, in many cases, only involve householders having to empty or de-sludge their tanks more frequently. In other cases, householders may be required to upgrade or replace their septic tanks.

The question of introducing a grants scheme for any purpose must be very carefully considered in light of the current very significant budgetary constraints. My Department will keep under review options to provide financial support to householders, whose systems are deemed, following inspection, to require substantial remediation or upgrading. Any such support would have to take account of the overall budgetary situation and of the financial position of individual households.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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To be fair, the Minister met the IFA on this point and that organisation was first to moot it. It comes on foot of some of the recent retro-fit schemes which were grant-aided through Sustainable Energy Ireland. The case has been put succinctly by the IFA and others in this House that such a scheme should be a product of a new registration regime. We should make every effort and strive to implement this, not only for the jobs involved but because it will encourage people to comply with the new regime when it is up and running.

Perhaps the Minister might address the household charge. There is a division between urban and rural Ireland in that the registration charge will affect rural dwellers only. That bone of contention has been articulated in this House and outside it. When water metering is rolled out - I am not trying to stray from waste disposal - and each dwelling in urban Ireland has a water meter will there be an attempt to promote equity between urban and rural dwellers? Is there such thinking somewhere within the bowels of the Minister's Department? I do not claim it is the Minister's thinking but indications are emanating of a policy that would charge urban Ireland for waste water treatment according to the water-in water-out model that currently exists for waste water treatment charges to commercial premises.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I certainly have heard nothing of that kind said in the Department. If the Deputy is advocating that proposal, fair enough.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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I am not advocating it, rather I am giving the Minister an opportunity to knock it on its head.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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No, I have not heard anything about it. It is certainly not my intention to do that. Water charges by metering will be introduced in due course, as a separate charge from the household charge, as the Deputy knows. We always stated that would be the case.

The registration charge is a nominal amount. Some septic tanks date back pre-1963. We must ensure we catch everybody in the sense of what we know exists in the form of a septic tank. We believe there are 475,000 in total. There will not be an annual charge of €300 per annum, as was advocated by the IFA and others. I understand the IFA stated it would cost €150 million to remediate some of the problems with septic tanks. If that is the case we have a very serious problem but I do not envisage any such expenditure being required to upgrade septic tanks for the purpose of improving our ground water. It is a risk-based model and I believe people will be satisfied with the monitoring and inspection that will be carried out.

I cannot consider a grant scheme, perhaps until 2014, because inspections will not take place until 2013. That will give us an idea of the extent of the problem. If help is needed for low-income families it can be considered at that stage.