Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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70. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the criteria for applying for a septic tank upgrade grant will be changed to allow householders to apply on the basis of need rather than the current restrictive criteria. [17840/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The policy of providing grant funding for remedial work on septic tanks arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular.

There are three grant schemes available to householders relating to Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), commonly known as Septic Tank Grants. The purpose of these grants is to incentivise householders to carry out works to defective septic tanks.

The grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority to protect human health and the environment, and are not general in application.

Householders can avail of the grants if their 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.

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.