Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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880. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a house must be in a catchment area identified as a prioritised area for action in accordance with the River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021 in order to qualify for the new domestic wastewater treatment grants as recently announced; if a house with a treatment system that needs an urgent upgrade can apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13037/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations 2012, the owner of a domestic waste water treatment system is responsible for its maintenance and renewal  and shall ensure that its parts and components are fit for purpose, operational where appropriate and kept in good order and repair so as to prevent a risk to human health or environment. 

The Housing (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems Financial Assistance) Regulations (S.I. 184 of 2020), revises the grant scheme to support the remediation, repair or upgrading works to, or the replacement of a domestic waste water treatment system under the National Inspection Plan. 

Following an examination of the previous arrangements, consultation with stakeholders including local authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Health Service Executive, and consideration of the matter by the Rural Water Working Group, the revised scheme brings into effect the following changes:

- The means test that previously applied to this grant scheme has been removed.

- The level of grant support has been increased to 85% of the eligible costs of approved works subject to a maximum grant of €5,000.  The maximum grant available previously was €2,500 or €4,000 depending on the financial means of the applicant. This represents an increase of 100% and 25%, respectively, relative to the previous maximum grant levels. 

Financial assistance has been expanded further with the introduction of two new grant schemes to support the attainment of water quality objectives in what are called 'prioritised areas for action' and ‘high status objective catchment areas", as outlined in the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018-2021. In both of these schemes, the level of grant support is 85% of the eligible costs of approved works subject to a maximum grant of €5,000. The relevant Regulations are:

- Housing (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems Financial Assistance for Prioritised Areas for Action) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 185 of 2020).

- Housing (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems Financial Assistance for High Status Objective Catchment Areas) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 186 of 2020).

These schemes form part of the larger investment already being made through the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021 to support the communities and local economies of Ireland, and are being administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department.  Details of the Terms and Conditions for each scheme be found on the Department’s website here.