Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
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Knowledge Transfer Programme
1979. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of knowledge transfer programme payments which are outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34605/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraKnowledge Transfer (KT) 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. Farmer participants attend group meetings and produce a Farm Improvement Plan in consultation with their KT Facilitator. For each year of the three year programme participants receive a reimbursement in the amount of €750 for a primary sector and €375 for a secondary sector where all requirements of the programme have been met.
Payments under the programme commenced in late October 2017.
To date, over 18,000 farmer payments in the amount of circa €11,854,309 have issued across all 6 KT Sectors. Approximately 1,300 farmer KT payments remain for payment. In addition payments in the amount of circa €5,987,748 have issued to KT facilitators in respect of approx 12,477 participants paid.
Payments to Facilitators are currently issuing on a sector by sector basis with KT Beef and KT Sheep already issued and payments to the remaining sectors issuing on a rolling basis over the coming week.
A further round of farmer payments will commence on foot of completion of the current round of facilitator payments. Every effort is being made to complete this process with a view to paying remaining farmers as soon as possible.
