Written answers

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Septic Tanks

Photo of Michael CahillMichael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1486. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to broaden the scope of the septic tank grant, to allow all households who cannot afford to repair or replace problematic or unworkable septic tanks avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41845/25]

Photo of Aindrias MoynihanAindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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1543. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if consideration will be given to extending and expanding the septic tank grant to ensure upgrades can be availed of for all defective tanks irrespective of their location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42256/25]

Photo of James BrowneJames Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1486 and 1543 together.

Responsibility for ensuring that domestic wastewater treatment systems, including septic tanks, are maintained and are properly functioning rests with individual property owners, who are also financially liable.

Grant assistance is available to septic tank owners where the system is found to be defective and poses a risk to human health or the environment, with support focused on areas of highest environmental risk.

This targeted approach ensures that limited public funding is directed where it is most urgently needed and can achieve the greatest benefit for water quality and public health.

The terms and conditions of the grants have recently been significantly improved with the aim of encouraging greater uptake.

I have no plans to make further changes.

Photo of Michael CahillMichael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1487. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of septic tank grants allocated in each county since the scheme was first introduced, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41846/25]

Photo of James BrowneJames Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department’s Domestic Waste Water Treatment System Grant Scheme provides financial assistance to homeowners for the repair, upgrade, or replacement of their systems (mostly septic tanks). The scheme, which is administered by the local authorities, is demand–led.

The table below sets out the number of grants under the scheme paid by my Department to each local authority from 2014 to date.

Local authority Number of grants paid from 2014 to date
Carlow 9
Cavan 14
Clare 30
Cork City 2
Cork County 60
Donegal 118
Dublin Sth 3
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown 10
Fingal 1
Galway 106
Kerry 75
Kildare 73
Kilkenny 13
Laois 40
Leitrim 50
Limerick 54
Longford 26
Louth 2
Mayo 198
Meath 242
Monaghan 41
Offaly 37
Roscommon 91
Sligo 42
Tipperary 26
Waterford 13
Westmeath 19
Wexford 193
Wicklow 18
Totals 1,606

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