Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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339. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to review the knowledge transfer programme as a number of issues have arisen which are causing difficulty (details supplied). [33253/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme Knowledge Transfer groups across a range of sectors, including beef, dairy and sheep, will be established. The design of the measure has been informed by experience from previous discussion groups, extensive stakeholder consultation and the relevant articles from the respective EU regulations. Participants are required to attend Knowledge Transfer (KT) group meetings and complete a Farm Improvement Plan. I believe that the combination of both farmer knowledge exchange meetings and one to one interaction between the farmer and advisor in the development of a Farm Improvement Plan will ensure the transfer and exchange of information and best practice to participating farmers. The analysis of previous discussion group schemes and consultations leading up to the design of the KT Programme highlighted the importance of addressing all aspects of a farming enterprise including profitability, environmental sustainability, farm safety and animal health and welfare measures. This is reflected in the scheme design which includes the requirement for a private veterinary practitioner (PVP) to oversee the preparation of an individual animal health and welfare plan. While a payment to cover the PVP’s involvement is not an eligible cost under the relevant article covering knowledge transfer, the time spent by the farmer in completing the Animal Health Measure aspect of the Farm Improvement Plan is and has been included in the total payment to participating farmers. Over the period of the programme this totals €160. In effect this reduces the PVP cost over the period of the programme by €160, thereby significantly reducing the net PVP cost.

Participation in more than one Knowledge Transfer group across sectors is not permitted. This is largely due to potential double funding which would arise from the completion of more than one Farm Improvement Plan for a single farming enterprise. I am however considering how farmers could participate in KT groups across two sectors, while at the same time avoiding double funding issues.

An appropriate named nominee will be allowed to attend in the place of a farmer participating in Knowledge Transfer.

Under the relevant article covering knowledge transfer the knowledge transfer facilitator is the beneficiary and all payments under this measure must issue to him/her in the first instance. There is no leeway in this regard. A robust payment procedure is being developed which will make the facilitator payment contingent on provision of confirmation that the payment has issued to his group participants, thereby ensuring timely payment to all participating farmers.