Written answers
Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Septic Tanks
Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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340. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if consideration is being given to enabling homeowners to apply for grants or other financial supports to assist in repairing or replacing malfunctioning septic tanks; if consideration is being given to households requesting a local authority for an inspection of systems where there is concern at their effectiveness; if consideration has been given to this in the past and the reasons for the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52504/23]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently three separate Domestic Waste Water Treatment System (DWWTS) grant schemes, commonly known as Septic Tank Grants, available to householders. The purpose of the grants is to provide financial assistance to householders to repair or upgrade septic tanks. In order to avail of the grants, householders must have failed an inspection under the National Inspection Plan and be issued with an Advisory Notice, or must be situated in either a Prioritised Area for Action or High Status Objective Catchment Area as identified in the River Basin Management Plan.
I can confirm that my Department has recently completed a review of these grant schemes. The review process included extensive consultation with key stakeholders in the Rural Water Sector to identify where improvements could and should be made to the terms and conditions of the grants.
The two changes recommended from the review and which I have recently approved are, an increase to the maximum grant level available to €12,000 (up from €5,000) and the removal of the qualifying condition that the septic tank must be registered with the local authority.
The grants continue to be focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority to protect human health and the environment rather than general in application.
The changes are effective from 1 January 2024 and there are no plans to make any further changes at this time.
Responsibility for the preparation of a national inspection plan rests with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who is required, under the Water Services Act 2007, to prepare a plan for the inspection and monitoring of DWWTS. It is the responsibility of the local authorities to implement the plan on behalf of the EPA.
The EPA publishes an annual report on inspections, copies of which, along with the National Inspection Plan 2022-2026, can be found on the EPA's website at the following link: www.epa.ie/publications/compliance--enforcement/waste-water/.
Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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341. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of septic tank inspections that have been carried out on a national basis by county in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the targets for inspection, if any; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52505/23]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The number of septic tank inspections required nationally is set out in the National Inspection Plan for Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems.
Section 70K of the Water Services Act 2007 requires that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepare a National Inspection Plan that includes "appropriate and specific qualitative and quantitative criteria, targets and indicators for inspections". It is the responsibility of the water services authorities to implement the Plan and the EPA report on its implementation on an annual basis.
The National Inspection Plan and annual reports, completed by the EPA, which provide the information requested is available at www.epa.ie/water/wastewater/nip/
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