Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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275. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants under the knowledge transfer scheme; the payments to date; the timeframe for certain payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13124/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Knowledge Transfer is one of a suite of measures included under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and involves the formation of knowledge transfer groups across the beef, dairy, equine, sheep, tillage and poultry sectors.

Out of approximately 20,200 applicants almost 19,100 farmers were approved and have actively participated in Year One of the Programme attending a range of Knowledge Transfer Group Meetings, Knowledge Transfer approved National Events and completing Farm Improvement Plans and Animal Health Measures.

Facilitators who complete all of the requirements of the programme receive a payment of €500 per participant for each year of the three year programme and farmer participants who complete all of the requirements of the programme receive a payment of €750 per annum.

To date, in excess of €10 million has been paid to over 14,200 participants across the six sectors. In addition, in excess of €6.7 million has been paid to date to approved Knowledge Transfer facilitators across six sectors. 

Payments are ongoing with payments in respect of participants and facilitators who did not fully complete their scheme commitments in Year 1 due to issue shortly.