Up on 200 people from mainly rural and farming homesteads attended a packed meeting on the septic tanks issue at Ballybay’s Wetlands Centre last Thursday, where the keynote speaker was Fianna Fáil’s deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív TD.
Fear of the unknown is usually guaranteed to provoke interest, and when the uncertainty is about a possible new drain on people’s money at a time when that commodity is in increasingly scarce supply, it can be taken as read that any public meeting on the issue in question will draw the crowds.
 That was the case in Ballybay on Thursday where Deputy Ó Cuív, a former Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs outlined his fears about the cost implications other potential difficulties that the proposed new regulations and inspections for private septic tanks may well entail.
Concerns about the issue are beginning to gain momentum around the country, and up on 500 people travelled from Ó Cuív’s home turf in Galway to attend a protest outside the Dáil yesterday (Wednesday) evening, against registration and possible inspection charges that they believe to be an attack on rural Ireland. Other protests and public meetings have been held around the country over the past week.
It is understood that the proposed registration of private septic tanks, and a requirement for certain standards to be met, will come into force when the Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 comes into force. The Bill is currently being debated in the Dáil.
Much of the anger at present stems from uncertainty about how the tanks will be inspected, and about exactly what standards will apply. Nobody seems to know just how much individual households are liable to be out of pocket through registration fees, inspection fees and any necessary upgrading, though figures of between €17,000 and €20,000 are being bandied about.
EUROPEAN COURT RULING
The problem arises from a 2009 European Court of Justice ruling that found that Ireland had failed to meet its obligations under the various European directives to enforce standards in the emissions of human waste.
Outlining the Fianna Fáil position to …

MANAGER’S Orders circulated to members of Castleblayney Town Council at Tuesday night’s meeting named ten local businessmen who face prosecutions being initiated for arrears of municipal rates—some dating back to 2009.
The orders related to the owners of different premises, all of whom were publicly named in the Managers’ Orders.
At the outset, Cllr. Brendan Hughes said he was opposed to such a drastic step being taken by the Council . He said it was because of the financial difficulties facing so many people in the town’s business sector that he had sought to get a reduction in the annual town rate at the recent Budget meeting.
He insisted he saw “no point in penalizing people further by prosecution” and he thought it was very alarming, to say the least, that orders to initiate prosecutions for rate arrears were made against some ten local business establishments in the area
The Town Mayor, Cllr. James Cunningham said he fully agreed with the sentiments expressed by Cllr Hughes.
He said he would be in favour of the Council making further contact with these people, even at this late stage, and try and avoid the prosecutions.
The Town Manager, Mr. David Fallon said while he accepted the views expressed by the members there was concern that some individuals had chosen to ignore the demand for payment, and he emphasized that while Council had no desire to go to court, they were obliged to collect the rates.
Some of those ratepayers concerned, he disclosed, had not paid for a number of years.
Cllr. Hughes said the local business sector was now going through a very difficult era and people were without money to pay. There was little intake, he said, and, as an example, he recounted the experience of one local businessman who had to pay €70 to someone to look after a business for a day, to subsequently discover that the entire turnover for the day was just €22.
The Manager said they would welcome ratepayers coming into the Council to explain …

Prompt action by fire crews prevented the spread to other premises of a fire that broke out in Chinese Acupuncture and Care, Dawson Street, Monaghan on Tuesday last.
Dermot Brannigan, Acting Chief Fire Officer, credited the early detection, reporting and fast response of the fire brigade, as reasons why the fire didn’t spread to neighbouring premises.
Two units from Monaghan and one unit from Ballybay responded to the call, and a total of eighteen fire fighters from the retained service were on-site. Multiple breathing apparatus units were used.
There was extensive damage to the ground and first floors and some staff from the centre were treated for smoke inhalation. Luckily there were no casualties. It is believed that the fire was caused by an unattended flame.
Acting Chief Fire Officer Brannigan commended all …