Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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608. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to set out the number of applicants to date for the domestic wastewater treatment scheme for domestic septic tanks, as announced by the previous Government in 2013; the number of grants that were approved for individual applications in County Donegal; the number that are awaiting approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49051/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, brought into operation a grant scheme to assist with the cost of remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed, following inspection under the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Inspection Plan, to require repair or upgrading. The grant scheme ensures that the limited financial resources available are targeted towards householders, particularly those on lower incomes, who incur expenditure directly as a result of the implementation of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012.

The Regulations provide that, subject to the applicant meeting all qualification criteria, a local authority may pay a grant to a person who is required, following an inspection, to undertake repairs or upgrades to, or replacement of, a septic tank or other domestic waste water treatment system. Details of grants paid for domestic wastewater systems (including septic tanks) from January 2014 to November, 2017 are published on my Department’s website at the following link:

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Householders who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the grant under the aforementioned Regulations and who wish to remediate or upgrade their on-site treatment systems may qualify for relief under the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) Scheme introduced pursuant to Section 5 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 2013. The HRI Scheme covers main residence repairs, renovations and improvements, including the repair or replacement of septic tanks. The Scheme is administered by the Revenue Commissioners and full details are published on the Revenue Commissioners' website at .

As can be seen from the aforementioned figures, the total number of grants approved for individual applications in Co. Donegal was six in 2015 with a total amount of €15,281.26 paid in grants. There are no applications presently awaiting approval for Co. Donegal.