Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am very pleased to open the hearings of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on farm safety. This meeting is the second part of a process which began last December with a public invitation to make written submissions to the committee. Members of the committee were heartened by the range and quality of the submissions they had received. We are glad to have the opportunity today to explore the ideas expressed with the organisations and individuals who contributed.

Agriculture has a special place in Irish life. Its importance to the health of the economy and our export performance, in particular, cannot be overstated. The fact that over 400 international food buyers are in Ireland this week visiting farms and other food producers is tangible evidence of this. Agriculture also plays a very important part in our social and cultural life and contributes significantly to community and intergenerational cohesion. If it is to continue to make that contribution, it is essential that farming is a safe occupation for its workforce and that farms are safe places for families whose support is such a vital element in sustaining farming as a viable way of life. Unfortunately, farming can also be a dangerous way of life, with 30 lives lost during 2014, almost twice as many as in 2013. An increasing number of fatalities among children has been a particularly worrying trend. The incidence of non-fatal injuries is also very high and owing to under-reporting may not be fully represented in the statistics. The risks to which those who work and live on farms are exposed are many. Tractors and machinery account for almost half of fatal accidents, but livestock, working at a height, slurry tanks and electricity also pose a significant danger.

The delegates who will present to the committee today represent a wide range of roles, interests and experience in agriculture. We will hear from State bodies, farmers’ representative organisations and organisations with a commercial focus, while community representatives, including those with direct experience of the tragedy of farm fatalities and serious injury, will contribute also. We will also have youth and medical perspectives. Many of those who have made submissions to the committee are already playing an active part in improving the level of farm safety.

The discussions we will have will allow us to consider positive actions but also to identify the weaknesses that need to be addressed. Following the meeting a draft report will be prepared by our committee rapporteur, Senator Martin Conway. The committee will review the draft report and publish its final report as soon as possible, I hope in the next few weeks.

The meeting will consist of six sessions, during each of which representatives of a few groups will make short presentations. When the presentations in each session have finished, there will be time for questions and comments from Senators and responses from delegates. The first group is from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the committee will hear from departmental officials. The Department supports the work of the Health and Safety Authority which has primary responsibility for health and safety and assists in the promotion of safe farming practices. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, has taken several initiatives to support improved safety on farms. The Department is represented by Mr. Bill Callanan, senior inspector, nitrates, biodiversity and engineering division, and Dr. Robert Leonard, agricultural inspector.

Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to so do, they will thereafter be entitled only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Mr. Callanan to address the committee.