Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
596. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the process and criteria by which areas are designated under the national inspection plan, prioritised areas for action and high-status objective catchment areas; the bodies involved in those decisions; and whether these designations have changed over time. [28705/26]
View answer597. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason householders cannot nominate or request their domestic wastewater treatment system for inspection for the purposes of accessing the domestic waste water treatment system grant scheme; whether consideration has been given to introducing an owner-initiated inspection pathway; and if so, the outcome of that consideration. [28706/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 596 and 597 together.
Grant assistance is provided under the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS) Grant Scheme in circumstances where defective systems, including septic tanks, meet the eligibility criteria of the scheme. The scheme is targeted towards priority areas, including cases where a system has failed an inspection under the National Inspection Plan and an Advisory Notice has issued, or where systems are located in areas identified as being at particular risk to water quality.
Responsibility for the proper maintenance and operation of domestic wastewater treatment systems, including septic tanks, lies with the owner.
The inspection programme does not provide for householders to nominate or request their systems for inspection, as it operates on an independent risk-based selection basis to ensure consistency and that resources are directed to the areas of greatest environmental need.
An owner-initiated inspection pathway is not provided for under the current scheme design. It is not intended that the scheme be opened to applications on a user-driven basis.
The National Inspection Plan is prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency on a risk-based approach and is kept under periodic review in line with evolving risk assessments. Priority areas and inspection targets are informed by environmental and water quality data.
