Towards 2016 - Department of Taoiseach

Environmental SustainabilityThe first Implementation Status Report on the National Climate Change Strategy will be laid beforeboth Houses of the Oireachtas and presented to the Joint Committee on Climate Change and EnergySecurity in the first half of 2008.The Department for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is coordinating the preparationof a renewed National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS). The environmental NGO sectormade a substantial submission on the Strategy in January 2008 and this will be analysed in consultationwith the High Level Group in the development of the final Strategy.A Government Climate Change Communications and Public Awareness Campaign was launched inNovember 2007. This will run for five years with funding of €12.5m plus VAT, being provided for thefirst two years.Increased funding is provided to Comhar from the Environment Fund in 2007 and 2008 to support theenhanced role envisaged for Comhar in the Agreed Programme for Government.Rural DevelopmentCLÁR Programme€21.1m has been allocated for 2008 for the CLÁR Programme.Rural Social SchemeA total of €1.5m capital funding has been allocated to the Rural Social Scheme for 2008. The specificguidelines for the use of the 2008 capital funding have yet to be finalised.Competitive and Profitable Agri-Food SectorAt end 2007, payments in excess of €1.447 billion issued to applicants under the Single Payment andDisadvantaged Areas Schemes.Significant progress has been made in implementing the AgriVision 2015 Action Plan, a three-yearplan for the optimal development of the Agri-Food sector. To date, 77% of the 167 actions have beenimplemented.A new Exchequer funded Suckler Welfare Cow Scheme has been initiated as part of a coherent andstructured approach to the development of the beef sector.There has been significant interest from the industry in the Exchequer funded €50m Capital InvestmentAid Scheme for the beef and sheepmeat processing sectors. This scheme is expected to trigger overallinvestment of some €120m and is targeted towards achieving efficiencies and improvingcompetitiveness in vital beef processing sectors. Applications are currently being evaluated byEnterprise Ireland.In the dairy sector, a market-orientated milk quota trading system was successfully launched in 2007that resulted in 380m litres (7.6% of total) of available quota being traded at prices dictated by themarket. In addition, 19 capital investment projects in the dairy processing sector were awarded grantassistance of over €114m which is likely to generate an overall estimated capital spend of €286m.Arts and CultureFilmIn his Budget 2008 speech the Minister for Finance extended the Section 481 film tax- relief schemeuntil the end of 2012, which will provide stability to potential producers seeking to make films inIreland.Over €23m has been paid in 2008 for the Irish Film Board (IFB), an increase of 18% over 2007.5