Ms Mary Buckley:

I wish to address the issue of education, particularly at primary level. A high percentage of children attending rural schools leave a family farm in the morning, return in the evening, dump their schoolbag inside the door and get up on a tractor or do other work. That is the reality of life on the family farm. While the curriculum provides that schools may offer a module on farm safety, this is not taken up in many schools. In 2013-14 in Northern Ireland, a farm safety programme was implemented in 93 rural schools, covering more than 12,000 children. This possibility should be considered.

As part of the transition year offered in post-primary schools, students often participate in work experience. Perhaps they should be offered similar opportunities to work on a farm. There are definitely opportunities in primary schools. We should catch children young because many of them are the farmers of the future. Transition year in secondary schools offers another ideal opportunity.