O'Cuiv refuses to pay septic tank charge

A Fianna Fáil TD has said he has not paid his septic tank charge, because the fee is an issue of equality.

Just 30,000 of the country's 500,000 septic tank and other waste-water treatment system owners have registered their tanks, with less than a month to go until the mandatory €5 fee rises to €50.

The charge is part of the scheme introduced by the Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan ahead of inspections, which could see many householders forced to carry out upgrades to their systems.

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture, Eamon O'Cuiv, has said it is not fair that the upgrade of water-mains systems is paid for out of State funding, while people with their own tanks are being forced to foot the bill for their own upgrades.

Mr O'Cuiv said: "I certainly haven't paid the charge. This is a very fundamental issue in terms of equality.

"If you live in an area that is serviced by a mains waste-water system and it needs an upgrade, the State pays for that."