Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentation. I come from a farming and contracting background. Sometimes we have to look back to go forward. Farmers now farm by date and by the weather. After Christmas there are dates for spreading slurry. Everyone is under pressure to get the jobs done. We have to consider where we were compared with where we are now. When pressure is on and one is fighting the clock and looking after stock, things will go wrong. We need to consider what we have done in the past few years in setting dates for this and that, for spreading slurry or not. This and the weather put extra pressure on people, who try to bundle everything together.

Deputy Ó Cuív referred to reporting of accidents. I agree that a message needs to be sent out that we are here to work with the HSA. There is a genuine fear that if the HSA says something is wrong, it will go after the farmer who will have to pay penalties and be hassled. Penalties do not resolve anything. Working with people is the way to get the best possible outcome.

At one time in most parts of Ireland the cow was milked and the calf was reared and the next generation was a quieter animal. Six or seven years ago I had cows and I killed them because I was afraid for young kids. I reared cattle on a bucket to have another generation that is quieter. That is reality. The further we have gone to perfect the breed, which we have to do, the flightier the cattle are. There are dangers in the line of cattle. As people got busier over the past few years, animals became more used to a jeep or a tractor than to the person within it. There is less and less contact with the animals.

Deputy Ó Cuív’s idea of rewarding people with insurance is a good one but I do not want farmers to be threatened because the more that happens, the less will be reported. The age profile of farmers is older. We are trying to attract young farmers. We need them because while a 21 year old can jump up on the ditch if a bull runs after him, a 71 year old might not jump so quickly. We need to deal with these matters in a common sense fashion. I would like to hear the witnesses’ views on children on tractors and the seats that have been talked about. We need to work to bring down the figures but farming is a dangerous game in many ways and we have to try to get the best possible outcome for everyone.