One TD was thrown out of the Dáil and another was involved in a bizarre protest on the floor of the chamber over the controversial septic tank legislation yesterday.
Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris was ordered to leave the chamber after an angry outburst following the refusal of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore to answer a key question on the legislation.
But it was Independent TD Mattie McGrath who made the more colourful protest, surprising fellow deputies by walking across the floor of the chamber with a collection basket in his hand.
The symbolism of the collection basket was not immediately clear, but Mr McGrath has repeatedly criticised Government plans to levy a €50 "registration fee" under the legislation.
Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin labelled Mr McGrath a "clown", while the leas ceann comhairle, Micheal Kitt, labelled the scenes "a disgrace".
But while Mr McGrath was allowed to remain in the chamber, Mr Ferris was ordered out after demanding an answer from the Tánaiste and refusing to sit down when the answer wasn’t forthcoming.
Mr Gilmore had been asked whether grants would be available for hard-pressed rural homeowners if their septic tanks needed repairs following inspections under the new system.
He failed to give a direct answer, instead saying Sinn Féin was "confusing what is included in primary legislation and detailed regulations to be made subsequently in secondary legislation".
Environment Minister Phil Hogan has already suggested he will consider the matter of financial assistance for struggling householders once the new system takes effect next year. But there has been no guarantee from Government that such financial assistance will indeed be forthcoming.
The primary legislation — the Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 — was passed in the Dáil yesterday and will complete its progress in the Seanad next week. Under the new system, everyone who owns a tank will be obliged to register it next year with their local authority and pay a once-off fee of €50.
While there will be no further registration fee or inspection charge, householders will have to meet the cost of repairing tanks if they are found to be in breach of standards — unless the Government decides to introduce some form of financial assistance. The inspections begin next year.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, January 27, 2012
