Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of recent studies highlighting the problems with septic tanks, he will introduce a grant for their upgrade and revise the level of grant aid available for group sewerage schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47479/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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While the Programme for Government included a commitment to introduce a scheme of support for the replacement and upgrade of septic tanks older than 15 years with newer systems, it is no longer feasible to introduce such a grant scheme in the light of budgetary constraints.

Under my Department's Rural Water Programme, grants are available to provide groups of households with the opportunity of connecting to public sewerage networks through communal sewage collection systems that are, in turn, connected to local authority sewers. Alternatively, the communal sewage collection system may be connected to sewage treatment facilities provided by the groups themselves. The rate of grant available for Group Sewerage Schemes is €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. The level of grant aid available must be managed within current budgetary constraints and therefore I have no plans to increase this amount.