People facing charges of up to €15,000 for septic tank repairs

Cllr Brendan Barry welcomed news that the department wrote to members of the Ballinamore Municipal District saying it will review the septic tank grant scheme.

Currently, an individual may be able to get a grant to repair, upgrade or replace their waste water treatment system and can apply for funding for 85% of the cost of the repairs to their system or a new system, up to a maximum of €5,000.

To qualify for these grants, the treatment system must have been registered by 1 February 2013.

Cllr Barry said he knew “several people who had inspections and are working with architects and different people to try and come up with a solution and are getting a huge shock when they realise  the costs involved; up to €15,000.”

He added that it has been ten years since the “date you had to be registered by to qualify for that grant and with properties changing hands, there should be a new date that people can register on.”

Leitrim County Council Head of Finance, Vincent Dwyer, said that Leitrim is “particularly hit because of the soil conditions” and said that there need to be “a menu of charges.”