Dáil debates

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Septic Tank Registration Scheme

2:00 pm

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the total registration figures for waste water treatment systems to date broken down by county; the percentage registered broken down by county; his plans for those homes that have not registered; the expected date of the Environmental Protection Agency National Inspection Plan publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5668/13]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 requires householders whose properties are served by on-site wastewater treatment systems to register their system with their local authority. The deadline for householders to register was 1 February. At the passing of that deadline, 373,954 applications in respect of the on-site wastewater treatment systems by owners who registered online, by post or in person at their local authority offices had been processed and approximately 25,000 additional registration applications were awaiting processing by the bureau operated by the Local Government Management Agency. The table below sets out details of the number of processed registrations for each county and city council by 1 February 2013.

My Department will in the coming weeks discuss with the local authorities the approach to be taken in respect of unregistered systems. The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provides that the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, will make a national inspection plan for domestic wastewater treatment systems. I expect that the plan will be published shortly and that inspections will commence in the middle of this year.

Registrations processed as of 4 February 2013

Water Services AuthorityEstimated total number of on-site wastewater treatment systemsNumber of on-site wastewater treatment systems registeredNumber of on-site wastewater treatment systems registered as a percentage of the estimated total number
Carlow County Council
7,190
5,369
74.0
Cavan County Council
14,477
12,064
83.0
Clare County Council
19,769
17,579
88.0
Cork City Council
586
496
84.0
Cork County Council
57,993
39,309
67.0
Donegal County Council
32,955
20,284
61.0
Dublin City Council
2,718
102
3.0
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
1,928
989
51.0
Fingal County Council
5,213
2,821
54.0
Galway City Council
1,145
645
56.0
Galway County Council
42,161
30,895
73.0
Kerry County Council
28,277
28,153
99.0
Kildare County Council
16,795
12,165
72.0
Kilkenny County Council
15,368
11,705
76.0
Laois County Council
11,309
8,557
75.0
Leitrim County Council
7,005
6,149
87.0
Limerick City Council
420
205
48.0
Limerick County Council
24,207
17,949
74.0
Longford County Council
7,556
5,849
77.0
Louth County Council
11,633
7,530
64.0
Mayo County Council
26,659
22,586
84.0
Meath County Council
21,687
16,159
74.0
Monaghan County Council
12,065
7,423
61.0
North Tipperary County Council
12,342
9,931
80.0
Offaly County Council
11,170
8,286
74.0
Roscommon County Council
14,297
11,973
83.0
Sligo County Council
11,192
9,196
82.0
South Dublin County Council
2,266
1,085
47.0
South Tipperary County Council
14,442
10,971
75.0
Waterford City Council
488
343
70.0
Waterford County Council
11,466
7,655
66.0
Westmeath County Council
12,165
9,506
78.0
Wexford County Council
26,267
20,282
77.0
Wicklow County Council
12,070
9,743
80.0

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister said that the national inspection plan will be published later this year. He has also said in the past that the inspection system agreed with the Commission will meet the standards required in the European Court of Justice ruling. If it is the case that the Minister has on our behalf agreed a system with the Commission on foot of that ruling, he should then publish the plan to allow people on the ground understand how the inspection scheme is to be implemented. That being the case, would the Minister not retrospectively extend the deadline for registration? Why has the plan not been published?

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and some Independent Deputies have for the past year opposed this registration and inspection regime for ground water quality. In spite of that, 80% of people who have septic tanks have registered.

I thank them very much for this response in spite of the advice given by people not to even register when the fee was €5 at the end of last September. Many people in the Opposition cost citizens €45 in additional expenditure because they gave them very bad advice. We have carried out a major campaign to alert people to the fact Ireland has a European Court of Justice ruling against it. It is important to have good quality groundwater and an important part of the judgment is that people register. Without having a database, I would say the voluntary response from people has been magnificent and I thank them for it.

2:05 pm

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The national inspection plan which was sent to the Department in recent days is being examined and I expect to publish it shortly.

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My question is simply if an inspection regime has been agreed with the Commission why has the Minister not published the inspection plan on how to rectify this situation? It must be the case that in announcing his grand scheme the Minister is sufficiently satisfied the grant amounts will be sufficient to meet the demands of the inspection regime. I accept the Minister has agreed an inspection regime with the EU and the Commission on foot of the ruling. I accept what he stated with regard to those who have registered, whether for €5 or for €50, but the Minister has agreed something in Europe and will not tell the public what it is. Why did we have to wait until now in the first instance and how much longer must we wait?

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As I stated previously to the Deputy, inspections will not take place until after the registration process is complete. Inspections will not take place for several months. The plan will be published in the coming weeks and I have no difficulty agreeing this with the Deputy. It has been the subject of much detailed investigation with the Commission by the EPA and it was forwarded to the Department in recent days. It will be a national risk-based inspection plan and local authorities will be responsible for carrying out the inspections in their functional areas. Based on the number of people inspected, which will be a low enough percentage of those registered, people have nothing to fear; all they must do is ensure the system they have, under the conditions in which it was installed, is working.