Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the articulate way Senator O'Donnell described the witnesses' contributions. When we as a committee advertised for submissions we hoped we would get interesting ones and not just from professionals in the State agencies. We hoped for submissions from other people which would give us inspiration and belief that there are ideas and people who can make a difference. Mr. Duffy's board game is inspirational and if he is demonstrating these skills at transition year level the world is his oyster in terms of what he can achieve in his professional career when he develops it.

I have seen people submit ideas to "Dragons' Den" that have more of a social dimension than a money-making dimension and the dragons have offered finance for the person to achieve his or her objective. I suggest Mr. Duffy would do a lot worse than going before the next "Dragons' Den" series to help put this board game in every school and public library in the country. I am sure representatives of the HSE are in the Visitors Gallery. They act as the dragons on this occasion by providing the funding.

It probably would not cost a great deal to provide that type of support but it could achieve a lot in a subtle and inoffensive way. Mr. Eddie Downey spoke earlier about advocating for farmers rather than penalising them. Mr. Duffy's invention is worth pursuing as a means of getting the message across in a helpful way. His board game is only at its inception and can really be driven forward.

The GAA is not an organisation but a movement which is represented in every parish in the country. My wife is the secretary of our local club and I will be advising her that it should do something similar to what is being done at Mizen Rovers. She might not like me telling her what to do, but this is a great initiative and the GAA has a critical role to play on this issue. It should begin by hiring a full-time farm safety officer at headquarters. It already has equality officers and integration officers, who play a very important role. I have worked with the integration officer at Croke Park and have attended meetings there. One often sees at matches a message displayed on the big screen about the importance of treating everybody with respect. The GAA has made great strides in breaking down barriers to participation by the new Irish and members of minority communities. If it were prepared to put a few quid into this by hiring a full-time farm safety officer, what Mizen Rovers has achieved could be replicated in every club in the country. Such an initiative would ultimately save lives.