Councillors criticise ‘restrictive’ criteria for septic tank grants
Elected representatives call on Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to extend the areas that qualify for the grant
A PLETHORA of councillors highlighted the restrictive nature of accessing septic tank grants at a recent Northern Committee meeting.
Councillors criticised the limited scope in the eligibility criteria and they also expressed their concerns that only three grants were issued in County Cork last year for a total of €10,000.
Fianna Fáil councillor Bernard Moynihan said clarity is required regarding the septic tank grants for 2024:
“This is a huge issue in Blackwater Valley. We are talking about water quality. We need to know the maps and the whole eligibility criteria. People are ringing and we are telling them we don’t know. We need to get clarity. This grant is very limited in its availability to people. Only €10,000 was paid out for the upgrading of septic tanks last year. We need to write to the minister to expand this scheme,” he said.
As of 2024, there are three different types of septic tanks grant schemes in Ireland, all providing grant aid up to €12,000.
Fianna Fáil councillor Deirdre O’Brien welcomed the increase in the grant amount, but said only a small portion of households meet the required criteria.
“We welcome the increase in the grant amount, but by not increasing the high status or priority areas it is very limited. In my area there is only a small portion that qualify. We need to be encouraging households because there is issues with houses going back years and where they were built. They don’t come under these high status or priority areas so that needs to be extended.
“We should write to the minister and ask him to re-look at this. We need to get them to extend the areas that qualify for this grant. A lot of people want to upgrade their septic tanks but are in no position financially to do this. We need to give them the support. We need to get it sorted,” she added.
“We need to open it up to everybody to apply,” said Fine Gael councillor John Paul O’Shea. “Very few people qualify for this grant. People want to upgrade their tanks. Three grants were issued in County Cork last year. That is deplorable giving the size of the county. Changes must be made. We need to write to the minister to open it up. We have drawn down a total of €10,000. The biggest county in Ireland only cost the department €10,000 in the last 12 months.”
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank O’Flynn agreed saying the grant is ‘far’ too restrictive. “When Croí Cónaithe came out first it was limited to the towns. When we put the pressure on the minister it worked. Everyone now can apply for the Croí Cónaithe grant. This grant is far too restrictive. I’d say you could nearly count the number of inspections carried out in North Cork last year in two hands. What good is the grant unless you can access it. We need to ask the minister to extend it so everyone who needs it should qualify.”
Fine Gael councillor Gerard Murphy said the system should be simplified to ensure more septic tanks are inspected. “If a person themselves know that they are beside a river or a steam and they know they are doing harm to the water quality, they should be able to contact the council informing them they need to upgrade their septic tank. The council should make a decision once they have inspected it. The amount of septic tanks the council will pick up in the current system is relatively small.”
Director of Service with Cork County Council Louis Duffy provided the councillors with an update on the septic tank grants scheme. “In ten years of the programme, there were 800 inspected. There is no change in the eligibility criteria. The only ones that can be notified to the council are where you are in the high status objective priority area. It is very limited. There were no additional areas introduced for this.”
Cork County Council’s Divisional Manager for North Cork, Kevin Morey, told members: “The core issue here appears to be the designation of the relevant sensitive areas that the department has attached to the scheme. That is where the members need to direct their focus because the council can’t independently take a different approach to a grant scheme which is a national department scheme.”
It was subsequently agreed that a letter would be sent to the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien seeking an extension of the areas that qualify for the septic tank grants.
A SENIOR official with Cork County Council has confirmed that works to repair the potholes in Devlin Street in Fermoy are scheduled to commence this year.
Brendan O’Gorman who is a Senior Executive Engineer with the local authority was replying to a motion from Fianna Fáil councillor Frank O’Flynn at a recent Fermoy Municipal District meeting which raised the issue of repairing potholes in Devlin Street in the interests of safety.
Mr O’Gorman informed the councillors in the chamber. “This route has been patched and will continue to be so until the road receives an overlay, which is scheduled under 2024 RI for mid-summer works.”
“I am delighted with the response,” said the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank O’Flynn. “The residents there brought it to my attention recently. It is a very busy road. There are quite a lot of potholes. The surface is also poor. I am delighted it is going to be resurfaced this year. It is good news for the residents.”
It was also confirmed at the recent Fermoy MD meeting that a request by the local authority for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) funding has been made to refurbish the footpaths in Patrick Street in Fermoy.
Mr O’Gorman provided the councillors with an update on the situation. “A request for TII funding has been made. There is 55m of cobble block that needs a new bedding foundation, on the southern side. Excessive settlement observed.”
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank O’Flynn said he brought forward the motion after safety concerns were expressed to him. “This section of footpath is very dangerous. There have been numerous cases of people falling there recently. People have brought it to my attention as to how dangerous that footpath can be. There is also excessive wear in places.
“I am delighted the request has gone to the TII for funding. I hope it will be successful and it will be looked after this year. It is very much needed in Fermoy. It is an exceptionally busy street. There is a big footfall in that area,” he added.