Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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813. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider changes to the grant scheme available for upgrading septic tanks (details supplied). [11997/25]

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.

There are three grants available to householders and their purpose is to provide financial assistance to reduce the environmental impact from defective septic tanks and to protect human health. They are not universally available. Householders may be eligible 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.

Substantial improvements to the terms and conditions of all three grants took effect from 1 January, 2024 including increasing the maximum grant amount available to householders to €12,000 from €5,000. The objective of these changes is to encourage more householders to seek and avail of the grants and consequently help reduce the risk of environmental impact from defective systems.

I have no plans to make further changes at present.