Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action Fund (CAF) was established on a statutory basis, with effect from 1 August 2020, on the commencement of the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) Act, 2020 (the Act). A key objective of the Fund is to provide support for projects, initiatives and research that contribute to the achievement of Ireland’s climate and energy targets, and for projects and initiatives in regions of the State, and within sectors of the economy, impacted by the transition to a low carbon economy. Applications that are approved for funding must fall under allowable expenditure as provided in section 37B of the Act.

The projects that have been approved for funding through the Climate Action Fund are set out below.

• The first call for applications in 2018 received 97 applications and approved seven projects to move to validation stage, 5 of these projects are in delivery with another expected to move to delivery this year. Four of these projects have received funding amounting to €6.3 million. Six out of seven of the approved projects would be considered public sector.
• Climate Action Fund LIFE Programme 2021 Co-financing Grant Scheme received eight applications. Seven of these were approved pending success under the EU LIFE Programme 2021. Only one was successful. A further two projects were selected to receive co-funding under the EU LIFE 2020 European Green Deal, and drawdowns are expected for all 3 projects before the end of the year. All three grantees are private sector.
• 166 applications were received for Creative Climate Action phase 1. 14 were approved for co-funding with Creative Ireland and they have received €1 million from the CAF. It is difficult to assign public or private to these projects as they contain multiple partnerships with both. 40 projects have been successful for Creative Climate Action phase 2, and these have not yet drawdown funding from the CAF.
• The Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP) strand 2 is managed on behalf of my Department by Pobal. Phase 1 received 72 applications for funding, 18 were approved, one dropped out and two additional were approved from a reserve list. To date the CAF has paid €2.2 million towards these projects. This programme also includes partnerships of both public and private sector organisations.
• Additionally the CAF funds the Bord na Mona Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme, which has received €34.2 million to date with further claims expected this year.
• In addition to the above, applications are expected to open for the Community Climate Action Programme CCAP strand 1 in December. Under the first phase of this programme, funding of €24 million will be provided to Local Authorities to support and build low carbon communities across the country.