New registration fee for septic tanks ‘a tax on rural dwellers’

Date Published: 07-Sep-2011

By Declan Tierney

The announcement of a registration fee for septic tanks instead of inspection charges has still been described as a tax on rural dwellers as there is mounting opposition against it with hundreds attending meetings across County Galway in recent days.

It has been described as a cynical attempt on the part of the Government to implement a charge on rural households simply by changing the name of fee that will be imposed.

It is planned to establish a data base of every septic tank in the country and when householders register the fact that they have a septic tank, they will be charge a fee – estimated to be in the region of between €50 and €100.

But the IFA have questioned the need for this registration fee on the basis that since the 1950s, local authorities like Galway County Council have a record of every house with a septic tank that was granted planning permission.

However, FG Deputy Sean Kyne said that it was up to the Government to implement the European Union directives and were doing it in such a way that it would have the least effect on householders.

He warned that Ireland could face savage fines from the European Court of Justice if measures were not taken to ensure our water quality was to the highest standards.

Deputy Kyne did warn that households may have to desludge their septic tanks on a regular basis – IFA chiefs put this cost at around €400 apart from the potential costs of carrying out repairs or even replacing septic tanks.

Meetings have taken place in Kilconnell, Oughterard, Athenry – one is planned for Clifden this Friday evening – at which householders and farmers have voiced their anger at the charges that may apply within the next couple of months and into the future. Deputy Kyne has assured householders that it would be a once off registration fee.

His Galway West party colleague Brian Walsh insisted that the registration of septic tanks under legislation to be introduced by the Government will cost homeowners no more than €50 and inspections will be carried out free-of-charge.

Read more in today’s Connacht Tribune