Tax allowances for expenditure in necessary pollution control work, notably the expenditure limit under the accelerated rate of capital allowance which was increased to €62,000, are a matter for the Minister for Finance. Under the aegis of my Department the Government has introduced a number of other measures since 1997 to promote environmental farming. Of these, the most important are the rural environment protection scheme, the scheme of grant aid for the development of the organic sector and the scheme of investment aid for farm waste management.
The rural environment protection scheme was first introduced in June 1994 and the successor scheme currently in operation was introduced in November 2000. The objectives of REPS include establishing farming practices and production methods that reflect the need for environmental conservation and protection, protecting wildlife habitats and endangered species of flora and fauna, and producing quality food in an extensive and environmentally friendly manner. REPS is 75% co-funded by the European Union, and to date a total of €994.5 million has been paid to participants. Payments since 1997 account for €884.3 million of the total.