Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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604. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount spent on knowledge transfer programmes; the number of participants annually between 2015 and 2020; the amount spent on and participants in programmes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34887/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Knowledge Transfer (KT) Programme under Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 was a three year multi-annual scheme delivered by approved Group Facilitators to circa 19,000 farmers in some 1,200 KT groups. The scheme was rolled out in June 2016, across six Irish farming sectors – Beef, Dairy, Equine, Poultry, Sheep and Tillage and concluded in July 2019.

The information requested by the Deputy is outlined below.

*additional poultry participants were awaiting approval into the scheme but were permitted to attend group meetings pending completion of eligibility checks.

Details of participant payments per sector for each of the years specified by the Deputy are provided in the table below.

Knowledge Transfer – Forestry

The aim of the KTG scheme is to increase the level of forest management activity amongst participating forest owners. The target group are those forest owners that need additional knowledge to help them undertake one or more management activities in their forests. KTGs will provide the means for gaining this expertise and empower them to manage their own forest over its rotation. By filling this knowledge gap a potential barrier to the mobilisation of timber and biomass can be removed.

A minimum of four meetings must be attended to be eligible for payment and the rate of payment for participants in €70 for each meeting attended