Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

The issue of de-sludging in Cavan and Northern Ireland was raised. It is the case that this is being carried out by private contractors who have waste collection permits and I have no issue with that. However, they are not the same people who are carrying out inspections. They carry out the de-sludging and I would have no difficulty were they to do the de-sludging here if the grant scheme were available. More employment could be created.

I appreciate the need to carry out periodic inspections to comply with the registration scheme and I note that this is referred to in the Commission's judgment. The Environmental Protection Agency recommendations state that periodic inspections should be carried out on septic tanks as well. A better way of doing this could involve the provision of updated information by the individual if a simple form were made available to a householder to advise of any changes. That might be a better way. For example, let us consider the situation whereby a three-bedroom house is extended to a four-bedroom house and one receives planning permission and one complies with X, Y and Z. Self-regulation or inspection might be easier, rather than inspectors having to come out every year or every two or three years.

When one buys a car one only registers it once unless one is selling it onwards. The NCT is different and involves an inspection that is carried out every two or three years for each car. However, the registration is different and it is the same in this case. It appears from this side of the House that the registration process could be used as a vehicle to bring in new charges or criteria after five years from enactment of the Bill. That is the concern on this side of the House. Unless the Minister can provide a detailed explanation to the contrary that is how it appears. Let us consider the example of a car being registered once, save when it is sold on. The NCT inspection for such a car takes place based on the age of the car, regardless of the owner.

The requirement for registration and certification after five years will have major property implications in terms of property transfers. For example, what happens in the case of people who get into difficulty with mortgages and people who must move house and upgrade their registration certificate? After five and a half years they will be obliged to start the process again. The guidelines may change and more stringent guidelines may be introduced by a future Minister. The regulations could be changed in conjunction with the EPA. All of these permutations must be taken into consideration. We should extend the timeline because five years is simply too short a time window.