Just 6% of people have registered their septic tanks as part of a new government scheme, despite the fact it costs just €5 to do so.
Only around 30,000 people have registered to date, less than a month before the registration fee increases to €50 on September 28th.
It is estimated that at least 468,281 people have yet to sign up for the scheme, which could be a further embarrassment for Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan after a similar boycott of the household charge earlier this year.
While people have until February 1st 2013 to register, it makes sense for them to do so now when the fee is just €5.
According to last year’s Census there are 497,281 septic tanks and other on-site waste-water treatment systems in Ireland.
The new charge has been criticised as a tax on rural dwellers.
Last Friday Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman Éamon Ó Cuív urged people not to register until they had more information.
“People shouldn’t register until the Minister outlines what he is going to do in relation to grant-aiding people who have to make mandatory upgrades,” he said.
He said a European Court ruling due in October would bring further clarity and he called on the Minister not to raise the registration fee until after the outcome of that ruling was known.
The department spokesman said newspaper adverts and a local radio campaign informing people of their obligations would be run in mid-September.
