Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Mr. Moloney and Mr. Leonard. I am delighted to get the opportunity to speak on a topic that is close to my heart and in which I have invested much time and done much work. I have a Farm Safety Agency Bill in the system in the Seanad. I thank the Minister of State for his engagement on that and I look forward to continuing our engagements on it. Who knows where it may go? The goalposts have moved and that is why I welcome that the Minister of State is in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for farm safety.

The Bill's inception was when I was elected in 2016 and appointed to the agriculture committee because I had a keen interest in farm safety. When we were asked for contributions towards the work programme, I suggested farm safety and was told we could not discuss it at that committee. It would need to be the committee for trade, enterprise and innovation because the HSA is under that Department. The wheel has gone round and I warmly welcome the fact the Minister of State has responsibility and a budget of €2 million. Hopefully, that will increase.

People have a habit of circling the wagons when change is proposed. I am complimentary of everyone involved in farm safety. I could not stress that enough then and again now. That includes people in both Departments and the HSA. There are people in the private sector the Minister of State is aware of, such as Alma Jordan in AgriKids. We have mentioned Embrace FARM who we meet later. I mention two gentlemen in particular, Peter Gohery and Vincent Nally. All the farm representative bodies on the farm safety partnership advisory committee are playing a major role. The Minister of State highlighted in his submission the documentation that goes out with the single farm payment applications. Then there is Teagasc, through the knowledge transfer schemes or whatever. However, every life and limb is equally important irrespective of whose it is, and people are still falling through the net. That is my big fear and worry. How can we get to those people?

Those who fall through the net can include those who are not members of a farmers' representative organisation and those who are not Teagasc clients, in addition to those who have not gone to agriculture college or obtained a green certificate. If we reach 99 out of 100, there could still be one in 100 who could have an accident. Will the Minister of State comment on that?

What communication, if any, has the Minister of State had with the private sector? I am thinking of insurance companies, in particular. Could there be a partnership with insurance companies on the promotion and advancement of farm safety?

The Minister of State is 90% of the way on awareness. I welcome the radio and television campaigns that were run last year and again this year.

On the Saturday before I was introducing the Bill in the Seanad, I was farming. I was doing a bit of tractor work and working with cattle. I do not know how it entered my head but I said I had better not get a black eye, scrape my hand or bruise a nail as it would not look good standing up in the Seanad on the following Tuesday to introduce a farm safety Bill. Because I was so aware and conscious of safety on the day, I saw so many pitfalls and so much potential for an accident. I was probably being over the top but it opened my eyes. It was all just about awareness. On any other day, I would have done what I had to do and gone home, but on the day in question I was being more careful and aware. It opened my eyes to so many little pitfalls and dangers associated with tasks we take for granted and of which we are not conscious in our daily work.

As Senator Boyhan said, farmers are working against the elements. In a bad year, there may be just one window of opportunity. Many safety concerns go out the window if there are only two days in which to get the silage made and it is expected to rain again at the end of the week. Farmers are dealing with animals, chemicals and heavy machinery. There are many dangers around the farm.

Most farms are family owned and there are children and elderly people on them. There is much more danger in the farm workplace than in any other conventional workplace. We have to be cognisant of that. Will the Minister of State comment on my couple of questions? I seriously worry about the people who are slipping through the cracks. There are two Departments involved in addition to so many other organisations, which are all doing a brilliant job, but there are those who are slipping through the net. How can we get to everybody through awareness-raising and training?