EXPECT MAJOR developments in the septic tank saga on Monday night when Big Phil Hogan enters Mattie McGrath’s Tipperary heartland to address the contentious issue.

The Minister for the Environment will announce the long-awaited standards for sewage treatment systems at a public meeting organised by Deputy Tom Hayes.

Mattie McGrath has vowed to attend.

In what some are billing The Battle of Dundrum House, the clash of Mattie vs Phil is being anticipated with almost as much excitement as an All-Ireland date between Tipp and Kilkenny. Mattie, who seems a bit worked up over Deputy Hayes’s event, told the Dáil he would be in attendance. “I hope it is a public meeting. I asked the Minister if I could go. He said it is up to Deputy Hayes . . . I have another engagement that night in West Limerick, but I’ll come back to it.”

We asked Tom if his Tipp South constituency colleague was invited. “Of course he is – anybody can go, it’s a public meeting.”

Mattie was rather ungracious about the choice of venue, describing it as “a nice big estate with a big tree-lined avenue. That is the kind of place people in Fine Gael prefer – the landed gentry.” He predicted many people will want to have words with the Minister: “up in the trees and around the trees waiting for him, as they are waiting in the long grass”.

We understand Mattie’s prior engagement is a septic tank rally in Newcastle West, so he’ll need to get his skates on if he wants to confront Big Phil at Dundrum House.

Meanwhile, Deputy Hayes is quite pleased with his coup. “I think when people hear what Minister Hogan has to say and when they see the regulations, their minds will be put at ease. We’ve worked hard behind the scenes to try and make it easier on the public.”

Tom is expecting about 300 people. “People are very interested in finding out more. There has been a lot of fear generated about the place by certain people. Monday night should clarify the situation.”

Will Deputy McGrath back up his fighting words and front up for that bout with Big Phil?