Ó Cuív willing to risk jail over septic tank levy

FORMER minister Éamon Ó Cuív has attacked proposed septic tank charges for homes and said he is prepared to go to jail if rural communities are treated unfairly under the new levy.

Mr Ó Cuív, grandson of Éamon de Valera, voiced concern over planned government regulations which will incur inspection charges, saying he would not accept them.

Speaking at a public meeting in Ros a Mhíl, Galway, on Thursday night, the Fianna Fáil TD said he was prepared to go to prison if due regard was not given to equality in terms of charges levied on rural and urban communities.

He later told RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta: “If there is not equality between the charges that will be levied in cities and those levied on rural communities, I will not accept it, and neither should rural communities.”

The Irish Farmers Association has warned of the cost from new septic tank regulations, which are expected to affect up to 440,000 homes in the country.

Meetings in Galway, Mr Ó Cuív’s home county, this week saw farmers and homeowners claim it may cost them thousands of euro to replace septic tanks to pass the inspection regime.

The IFA claims people are not in a position to pay the mandatory inspection fee, expected to be a few hundred euro, let alone foot the bill for replacing tanks.

But Mr Ó Cuív went further and said he would strongly object to the new regulations when they are brought before Government. He also called for grants to be made available to rural communities, who are more likely to be affected by the inspection regime than urban households.

New inspections for tanks are needed, says the Government, following a European Court decision which will land Ireland with millions of euro in fines for not complying with a ruling.

Legislation for the new inspections is expected to be announced when the Dáil returns and a system of checks rolled out next year.

The Department of Environment says there is “no substance” to reports that mandatory inspection charges could cost up to €300 per household.

Mr Ó Cuív said: “I’m confident the Government will understand you cannot levy charges on rural communities that are not levied on urban populations, and grants must be provided to upgrade sewerage systems.”