Council seeks exemption from septic tank fine

The members of Cavan County Council are to seek to be exempted from the payment of costs attached to the European Court ruling to impose a fine of €2 million, plus daily penalties of €12,000, given that the county had introduced its own Waste Water Treatment bylaws back in 2004.
In a motion tabled by the Sinn Féin leader in the Chamber, Charlie Boylan, he asked that the council request the Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan to put in place an exemption order for all of County Cavan in relation to any costs involved.
The State was ordered to pay €2 million and a further €12,000 per day by the European Court of Justice on December 19 last, after the European Commission argued that Ireland’s 500,000 septic tanks may be causing harm to the environment and putting human health at risk by polluting surface waters, groundwater and drinking water sources.
When calculated up to this date, inclusive of the initial €2m fine and the accumulative daily fine, Ireland is due to pay over €2.6 million.
Cllr Boylan asked “Why should Cavan be liable?”
His motion was supported roundly by fellow members in the chamber, including Cathaoirleach Paddy O’Reilly.
Fine Gael’s Sean McKiernan said the move by Cavan County Council to introduce the by-laws almost a decade ago, the first in the country to do so, was a “brave” one.
“If other councils had shown such leadership then we wouldn’t be in this situation at all,” he said. “Septic tanks needed to be done, we showed leadership and now the rest of the country have had to follow. For this we should have some sort of acknowledgement and to be exempted from the payment of this fine is just one way”.
The EPA have said inspections of septic tanks are set to begin in July later this year, initially concentrating on areas where waste water discharges present a high risk to health, the environment and water sources, with homeowners notified by their local council at least 10 days in advance.
Inspectors will then check that tanks are registered; not leaking; that system components are working; effluent is not ponding on the ground surface; the system is not discharging to surface water without licence; rainwater and clean surface water are not entering the system; the system is properly operated and maintained; and that the system has been de-sludged.