Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I have good respect for Senator Landy as we know each other a long time. I do not fully agree with the point he made. The inclusion of all houses with septic tanks goes beyond what is necessary to protect our water courses which is a priority. Some people are getting anxious because even if their septic tanks were not functioning perfectly, they would still not cause a problem. This proposal is actually putting our water courses at risk because the scarce human resources available to monitor and inspect will be too thinly spread over the full range of septic tanks whereas a focus on tanks which constitute a risk to the water courses would be more effective.

I agree with Senator Ó Clochartaigh. For example, if the Minister's house has its wastewater system connected into the public system which, due to the failure on the part of the local authority, is flowing into and polluting the river and I have a septic tank which is not affecting a water course, I am punished and the Minister gets off scot free. This is completely unfair. I think every house should have to comply. This is the point being made by the Sinn Féin Senators. If their amendments had been in order they would have provided a very valuable input into this debate. There is an element of unfairness in the manner of the debate and it is somewhat bureaucratic. I do not wish to accuse the Minister because I regard myself as almost a friend of his-----