Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 438: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to provide grant aid to those persons who upgrade or provide new effluent treatments systems in compliance with European water directives in view of the fact that urban waste water systems have been heavily subsidised by the State in terms of capital grants to local authorities and in the interest of equality of treatment of both urban and rural dwellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18854/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In October 2009, the European Court of Justice ruled that Ireland failed to adopt the necessary legislation to comply with Articles 4 and 8 of Council Directive 75/442/EEC, known as the Waste Directive, regarding domestic waste waters disposed of in the countryside through septic tanks and other individual waste water treatment systems. The Government recently approved the urgent drafting of a Bill to provide for the establishment of a new system for inspecting and monitoring of the performance of septic tanks and other on-site waste water treatment systems. The Bill will be published as soon as possible and my intention will be to pursue its early enactment.

Insofar as support for the upgrading of septic tanks is concerned, the introduction of a grants scheme for any purpose must be managed within current budgetary constraints. The matter is being considered by my Department in the context of developing the overall response to the ECJ judgment.