Families will refuse to pay septic tank charge, says TD
Environment Minister Phil Hogan said last week that he believed households with old septic tanks could end up paying up to €8,000 in upgrade costs for tanks as part of the new environmental regime.
However, families yesterday said they would not even pay the initial €50 inspection charge and that they would be unable to foot substantial maintenance bills for tanks.
South Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath told RTÉ’s Today with Pat Kenny that dozens of families in his area were refusing to pay the levy. He said thousands of couples in the county were in similar positions with old septic tanks, and it was unfair that they should pay a charge or face costly upgrades while many urban families faced no such charges. He claimed there was no need for households to register for inspections and pay the charge as local authorities already had a list of houses with tanks.
“That €50 could be €500 in five years’ time. This is the problem, it is only the thin edge of the wedge.”
The TD said he had built a septic tank in 1984 at his home which catered for a family of 10 and that he would also not pay the fee.
“Hopefully we’ll get the minister to see sense before this legislation is passed… it’s literally a shit tax,” said the independent TD.
Local homeowner Seanie Crotty said he would refuse to pay the charge. The resident of Skeheenarinky, Co, Tipperary, said: “I built this house over five years ago and at that time I gave them over €6,000 for planning permission. I got permission to build my house, build a garage, sink a well and put in a septic tank. And I did that according to the plan at the time and now they’re coming on saying they want €50 for a registration fee.”
Mr Hogan has insisted that most householders will not have to make any repairs, and has described claims of bills hitting €20,000 as “nonsense”.
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