600 attend meeting over septic tanks

UP to 600 people attended a public meeting on controversial new legislation to regulate and police septic tanks in yet another example of the level of feeling on the issue throughout Kerry.

Rural homeowners fear they will be hit by massive costs for improving and/or install new septic tanks when the new legislation comes into effect this year. The meeting, held in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel outside Tralee, attracted up to 600 protestors and was organised by Sinn Féin.

North Kerry/ west Limerick Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris was strongly critical of the government’s decision to bring the Dáil debate on the matter to a close on Wednesday. He has called for a full and open debate on the issue.

The new laws will require everyone with a septic tank to register it this year at a cost of €50 and are being introduced in response to EU legal requirements to protect health and water quality. The State will then use the new register to carry out inspections where needed.

Homeowners with septic tanks, however, fear they will be hit with massive bills to bring their waste water systems into compliance. The new laws — under the Water Services Bill — are expected to be enacted shortly and have resulted in a public outcry in rural Ireland, not least this county.

“The government has decided to guillotine Wednesday’s debate on the Water Services Bill. It is clear that the government is running scared from a debate on the septic tanks bill,” Deputy Ferris said.