Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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184. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if consideration would be given to reviewing the eligibility areas of grant aid schemes administered by a local authority (details supplied) to upgrade, repair or replace domestic wastewater treatment system/septic tank systems, to ensure that those who are in most need of the grant and who would have difficulty in financing such works could utilise the grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27707/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The policy of providing grant funding to households for work on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks, arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular.

The grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are available only in circumstances relating to risks to water quality and/or human health and the environment, and are not general in application.

Householders can avail of the grants if their defective DWWTS has failed an inspection under the National Inspection Plan and an Advisory Notice has been issued, or if the DWWTS is located in either a Prioritised Area for Action or a High Status Objective Catchment Area, as identified in the River Basin Management Plan.

Modifications to the conditions and amount of the grants available came into effect from 1 January 2024 following a review of the scheme and I have no plans to make further changes.