Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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329. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to include persons who did not previously register their domestic wastewater system to be included in the grant assistance available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24710/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Section 70B(13) of the Water Services Act 2007 (No. 30 of 2007), as inserted by Section 4 of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 (No. 2 of 2012), and the Domestic Waste Water Treatment System (Registration) Regulations 2012 (No. 222 of 2012)provide that all owners of houses served by an individual domestic waste water treatment system, have the system entered into the register maintained by local authorities, by a “prescribed date”. This date being 1st February 2013. TheDomestic Waste Water Treatment System (Registration)(Amendment) Regulations 2013 (No. 180 of 2013)sets out that all systems constructed or installed after this date must ensure the new treatment system is registered within 90 days of connection. Section 70C(2) of the Actprovides that a person who fails to comply with these obligations commits an offence.

It is reported by the Environmental Protection Agency that the registration rate nationally is 95% and higher in some areas, therefore accounting for the majority of domestic waste water treatment systems in the country. One of the eligibly criteria for the grants available under my Department for the upgrading of domestic waste water treatment systems is that systems are registered in accordance with the Act as set out above. I am advised that revisions to the primary legislation would be required in order to amend the "prescribed date" provision and this matter will be considered further in future policy considerations and in the context of future water services legislation.