Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Good news often passes by without comment. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan. In 20 months he has done more to protect groundwater in the country than any previous Minister. The announcement of a grant scheme to upgrade septic tanks is very welcome. I was here during the passage of the Water Services Amendment Bill and I saw Members on the Opposition benches objecting to the costs that would arise from enacting the Bill. Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill in particular was trying to create panic by his suggestions of what it would cost those in rural area to upgrade their septic tanks. Now Deputy Hogan has announced that people will be entitled to a grant of 75% of the cost of upgrading their septic tank and this proves he is trying to protect our groundwater. As I said, he has done more in the past 20 months than any other previous Minister.