Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has expressed his gratitude to the almost 446,000 householders who have registered their septic tanks as he announced that he has signed regulations to provide for grant assistance for householders whose septic tanks are deemed to require remediation following an inspection under the EPA's National Inspection Plan.

Mr Phil Hogan T.D. said: "I am delighted that almost 90% of all owners of premises connected to such systems have registered their systems and I wish to thank those who have done so. Last December I announced that I would put in place a grants scheme in advance of inspections commencing. Inspections by the water services authorities will get underway this month and I have now signed the regulations to bring the grants scheme into operation."

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The grants scheme will apply only where a domestic waste water treatment system failed an inspection carried out under the 2012 legislation and where the treatment system had been registered by the due date of 1 February 2013.

The Minister also welcomed the signing of regulations by Minister for Housing and Planning Jan O'Sullivan T.D providing for an exemption from planning permission for works arising from an inspection under the National Inspection Plan.

He continued: "The principal and immediate beneficiaries of the inspection system will be the householders, their families and their neighbours as it will address any risk to public health and the environment caused by malfunctioning systems. It will also help to enhance Ireland's environmental reputation which in turn will have positive benefits for the tourism, agricultural and food producing sectors."

Training of qualified local authority staff and their formal appointment as inspectors by the EPA is underway. The National Inspection Plan provides that a minimum of 1,000 inspections will take place nationally between now and July 2014.

(CD/JP)