Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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277. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons who have applied to the knowledge transfer group scheme under the Rural Development Programme 2014 to 2020 to date, in each of the beef, sheep, dairy, tillage, equine and poultry sectors; the targeted number of groups formed; the number of groups finalised to date; the reason for extending the deadline for participation in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7932/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Knowledge Transfer Programme is included in Ireland's Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020. While the RDP envisages the training of 27,000 farmers over the period to 2020, no specific target was set in relation to the number of groups to be formed. 20,252 farmer applications have now been registered for the scheme. These are broken down between the sectors in the following table. 

To date, 1,190 Knowledge Transfer Groups have been finalised with a small number deemed ineligible. Staff in my Department are currently liaising with facilitators to process a number of query and appeal cases on the small outstanding groups. Groups will run for a 3 year period from June, 2016. 

The deadline for registration was extended to 14 July, 2016 in order to allow further time for facilitators to finalise arrangements for their groups.