Every day we come to the House, we are hear about housing, housing, housing. During the week, the EPA released a report on the inspections of septic tanks by local authorities. Areas were targeted where septic tanks were near rivers. The councils completed 1,390 inspections of tanks and found that 82% of the tanks were inadequate. We are talking about meeting housing targets here. What the EPA has not done is look at the treatment systems going straight into rivers, which we have been looking to have upgraded for decades. I have been working in construction all of my life and I still am. We have given ideas to the likes of Uisce Éireann about how they could have more sewerage capacity in towns or villages on the same systems they have already if they separated the storm water from the sewage. In all towns, villages and cities, when they are piped from the houses out to the main street they all go into the one pipe. We gave Uisce Éireann the idea of putting in separators for water. At the moment, our treatment systems are working at their best during the summer because they are not dealing with water and are way below capacity. Some 25% to 30% of our sewerage systems are working perfectly during the summer. During the winter, what we are now treating is approximately 70% water. When the sewage comes in with the water and comes to a certain level in the treatment system, nothing gets treated because it goes out over the baffle wall and straight into the waterways around Ireland. This means that all the rivers and streams, and all the sewerage heads all around the country, are untreated because we do not have the proper people dealing with it. Uisce Éireann, to me, is a runaway train. It is not giving value for money. It is not listening to anyone. There are solutions for our systems in this country to give us clean water by putting in different systems in order to deal with the equipment we have at the moment. Then we can upgrade as we can afford to do so. Uisce Éireann is not listening to common sense or to other engineers who say the technology is there to do what we need to do. What we have to do is very simple, but Uisce Éireann tells us that this system is broken and that system is broken. Uisce Éireann is not listening to an engineering solution to help to build more houses with the same systems we have at the moment by just separating the storm water from the sewage. That is what I am asking for.

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A lot of them.

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In the first part of his remarks, the Taoiseach said he had met with representatives of Irish Water. Maybe he needs to bring me with him to teach them a bit of common sense and give them some ideas and solutions. The Taoiseach mentioned the EPA and septic tanks. Yes, there are grants but the problem with the grant system for septic tanks is that in 2013 the Taoiseach brought in a system where people got €5,000.

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In 2013 there was a system whereby people got €5,000 to upgrade their septic tanks. They registered their tanks and if they qualified for the grant due to their tanks being defunct, they received the grant. The problem was that nobody qualified for the grant because the tank had to be tested first and only a small number of people got them tested. Now the grant is up to €12,000. There is a mapping system now, and three quarters of people do not qualify for that grant either. There are grants available for defunct tanks but people cannot get the grants. I ask the Taoiseach to look at the mapping system that has been introduced by the EPA. I am asking about equal opportunities for towns and villages. I am offering to help the Government. I am not going to criticise; I am offering to help.

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We have tanks in Oola for 15 years. Askeaton is waiting 46 years for its treatment system to be upgraded. This is what I am talking about.

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I am offering help. I will meet Uisce Éireann representatives along with the Taoiseach and we will ask them how we can improve the system.

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It has been waiting for 46 years for a sewerage system.

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It can be done by separating the water. I said I would help.

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