Seanad debates

Wednesday, 13 July 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:00 am

Photo of John CumminsJohn Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will raise an issue around domestic septic tanks that has come to my attention. The Environmental Protection Agency has been highly critical of the number of inspections that local authorities have been able to carry out throughout the country, and the fact many septic tanks are failing inspections, yet remediation action has not been taken. Domestic septic tanks had to be registered before 1 February 2013. The issue that has been brought to my attention is grants are not available for those not registered before that date.

While I can understand the State not wanting to support somebody who failed to register before that period, the issue I have concerns those who bought properties in the intervening period. A constituent of mine bought a property two years ago and its septic tank has been found by the local authority to require remediation action, but that person is not entitled to a grant, through no fault of his or her own. The fact it was not registered was identified in the sales process but the issue of that person not being entitled to a grant has only come to light now after the fact. As the previous homeowner did not register the septic tank by 1 February 2013, the new homeowner who bought the property in 2019 is being penalised for the inaction of someone in 2013, without the ability to fix that issue.If we want to improve groundwater and improve the issues around septic tanks, it is counterintuitive that the State would penalise a new homeowner who has bought a property in good faith but is unable to access the €5,000 grant, which is available to remediate that septic tank. I am sure this is an issue also in many other parts of the State and not just in my own area in Waterford. I have written to the Minister about this issue and I certainly hope we can see movement on that. Perhaps the Deputy Leader will schedule a debate on the wider issue of groundwater when we return after the summer recess.

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