Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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439. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he intends on expanding eligibility to current septic tank grant schemes, or to design a new grant scheme, to support homeowners with the cost of updating their septic tank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9225/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Departments’ Rural Water Programme provides grant support to households in specific circumstances where capital works are required to rectify defective Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks.

The purpose of these grants is to provide financial assistance to reduce the environmental impact from defective septic tanks and to protect human health. They are available to householders where a septic tank has been found to be defective following an inspection by the local authority or if located in a designated area of greatest environmental priority.

Effective from 1 January 2024, I approved substantial improvements to the terms and conditions of the grants available including increasing the maximum amount available to €12,000 from €5,000 and removing the requirement, for the purposes of the grant, on households to have registered their DWWTS with the local authority.

I have no plans to make further changes at present.