Isabel Hurley

NEXT Tuesday sees the first - and long-awaited - official move by the Department of Agriculture to kick-start Equine Discussion Groups as part of the €100m Knowledge Transfer Programme.

An information meeting, open to horse breeders interested in joining a Knowledge Transfer Equine (KT Equine) discussion groups will be hosted by Department of Agriculture officials in Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary, on Tuesday from 7pm-8.30pm.

At this stage, some 15 facilitators have expressed an interest in running a total of over 40 equine groups.

In order to be deemed eligible for the KT Equine scheme, participants must hold a registered equine premises which is associated with an active herd number and must have a minimum of two broodmares for the purpose of breeding sport horses.

A Department spokesperson said: “Facilitators are now being asked to formally submit their groups for validation. Once approved, groups can commence meetings.”

Participants are required to attend five meetings per year or four meetings and one KT National Event.

Launched by the new Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, the €100 million Knowledge Transfer scheme is co-funded by the national exchequer and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development as part of Ireland’s €4 billion Rural Development Programme.