DUBLINERS with septic tanks have been the most reluctant homeowners in the country to take up the Government's special registration rate of €5, which ended yesterday.
Only 2.45pc of people in the city area paid the fee by yesterday's deadline.
South Dublin council area had a rate of 20.44pc while Fingal, with the biggest number of septic tanks at 3,657, had a rate of 23.8pc.
In Dun Laoghair/ Rathdown where there are 1,480 tanks, 414 people paid the special fee, a rate of 27.9pc.
Across the country as a whole, one person in four paid the fee, leaving more than a quarter of a million people facing a €50 fee before the ultimate deadline of February 1.
A system of inspections will begin early in the new year, with Environment Minister Phil Hogan insisting that the registration system "has already improved our environment".
Mr Hogan announced earlier this year that he was introducing a reduced registration fee of €5 after the project met fierce opposition.
The registration system had to be introduced when the European Court of Justice ruled that Ireland was not doing enough to protect drinking water sources.
csheehy@herald.ie