Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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506. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the period of time he envisages it will take to inspect all of the approximately 12,000 septic tanks in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31596/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 assigns responsibility to the Environmental Protection Agency to make a National Inspection Plan for domestic wastewater treatment systems. The National Inspection Plan 2013: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems was adopted and published by the EPA in February 2013 . The Plan has been drawn up to best international standards and will underpin the risk-based inspection of septic tanks and other on-site treatment systems. It also has regard to the European Parliament and Council's recommendations regarding the minimum criteria for environmental inspections in the Member States.

The Plan requires that a minimum of 1,000 inspections nationally are carried out by the Water Services Authorities over the twelve-month period commencing in July 20 13 and the EPA will review the Plan at that stage . The numbers of inspections for each county are included in the Plan. The number of inspections in subsequent years will be a matter for the EPA and I have no direct role in these matters.