Carthy Brands Septic Tank Charges “an attack on rural Ireland”

The former chairperson of the Border Regional Authority, Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy has branded the Septic Tank Bill and its associated levies as an attack on rural Ireland and laid down three challenges to Fine Gael TD’s.

Cllr. Carthy said

“The Septic Tank Bill is an attack on rural Ireland, and is completely discriminatory.  In this bill the minister is saying that if someone lives in an urban area then the state will pay to dispose of their sewerage waste, but if they happen to live in Rural Ireland they will be made pay for it themselves.  The Minister clearly does not understand the impact that these charges will have on households and the real fear that many families are living in.  They are dreading the knock on the door from the EPA inspector and the notice and the bill that will follow to upgrade their tanks.

“Sinn Féin is completely and utterly opposed to the Septic Tank Bill and will fight it tooth and nail.  I want to challenge the Fine Gael TD’s to deliver on three issues.  Firstly to get rid of the €50 registration charge, secondly that the inspections should ensure that the septic tanks are of the standard necessary when planning permission was granted for the house. This would mean that a house built in the 80’s or 90’s etc will not be made to comply with EPA guidelines of 2010. And thirdly that 100% grant aid would be made available to those that may have to upgrade their system.

“Rural communities have suffered enough; we have seen rural bus services discontinued, Gardaí and post offices closed and wide scale emigration as options for our youth became more and more limited.  Fine Gael must see sense, rural Ireland can take no more.  I welcome the fact that Sinn Fein’s Dáil team have made it clear that they will oppose this bill at every turn if this government tries to impose charges on some citizens just because they happen to live in the country and have to rely on septic tanks.”

The former chairperson of the Border Regional Authority, Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy has branded the Septic Tank Bill and its associated levies as an attack on rural Ireland and laid down three challenges to Fine Gael TD’s.

Cllr. Carthy said

“The Septic Tank Bill is an attack on rural Ireland, and is completely discriminatory.  In this bill the minister is saying that if someone lives in an urban area then the state will pay to dispose of their sewerage waste, but if they happen to live in Rural Ireland they will be made pay for it themselves.  The Minister clearly does not understand the impact that these charges will have on households and the real fear that many families are living in.  They are dreading the knock on the door from the EPA inspector and the notice and the bill that will follow to upgrade their tanks.

“Sinn Féin is completely and utterly opposed to the Septic Tank Bill and will fight it tooth and nail.  I want to challenge the Fine Gael TD’s to deliver on three issues.  Firstly to get rid of the €50 registration charge, secondly that the inspections should ensure that the septic tanks are of the standard necessary when planning permission was granted for the house. This would mean that a house built in the 80’s or 90’s etc will not be made to comply with EPA guidelines of 2010. And thirdly that 100% grant aid would be made available to those that may have to upgrade their system.

“Rural communities have suffered enough; we have seen rural bus services discontinued, Gardaí and post offices closed and wide scale emigration as options for our youth became more and more limited.  Fine Gael must see sense, rural Ireland can take no more.  I welcome the fact that Sinn Fein’s Dáil team have made it clear that they will oppose this bill at every turn if this government tries to impose charges on some citizens just because they happen to live in the country and have to rely on septic tanks.”