IFA Strongly Oppose Septic Tank Charges & Army Of Inspectors
IFA National Environment & Rural Affairs Chairman Pat Farrell has restated the Association’s strong objection to the introduction of any septic tank charges and imposing an army of septic tank inspectors on rural dwellers.
In recent months IFA met with senior Government Ministers, including Environment Minister Phil Hogan, and called on them to “ensure that no additional costs or extra bureaucracy are imposed, at a time when rural dwellers are struggling with escalating fuel, home heating and education bills.”
Mr. Farrell said, “The 440,000 rural families who installed their septic tank systems over the years did so with the permission of County Councils and in compliance with the various building regulations and EPA codes of practice. IFA is opposed to the introduction of any charges or legislation which criminalises families for non-compliance with a new standard introduced in 2011, which places additional obligation on these families. If the standards are changed then there is a responsibility on Minister Hogan to put adequate finance in place to allow for the standard to be met and to ensure that engineering technologies are in place which will allow families to live in their local communities.”
Pat Farrell said, “IFA will oppose the introduction of any army of septic tank inspectors. A risk- based approach to inspections is much more appropriate and is already accepted as an efficient delivery of public service. This targeted approach to inspections will ensure that rural families are not plagued by officials from County Councils, demanding to walk into their gardens and look at the septic tanks. However no inspections must take place until solutions are identified by the Department of Environment that allow families to comply.”
It baffles me how our political representatives seem to consistently believe that the imposition of a tax will satisfy the issue at hand. Moreover, that the good people of this green & pleasant land will continue to directly bare responsibilty for the cost. Those custodians of these assumptions should be very careful in pursuing this ideology, as history has shown, that eventually it is the “straw that breaks the camel’s back”. No one in rural Ireland would I believe oppose a septic tank inspection to ensure that their Septic system is in good working order & adheres to the EU’s 1975 directive – Providing it is undertaken by a qualified engineer & provided the cost is borne solely by the appropriate local authority or ministry responsible for the environment. Let’s be very clear on this issue. This is another example of an erroneous attempt to placate our European masters by holding the population responsible for decisions made by certain parties who have previously reneged on some of this country’s EU’s membership obligations. The success of accomplishing our future prosperity will not be achieved through continuous taxation. It will be implemented by an increasing population who are afforded the approriate incentives to live here, are able to invest in their own livelihoods and are able to provide & maintain stability for their families future in the State.