Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to be associated with what was said by the Chairman and Deputy Carthy. Mr. Rohan said he has patience. By God, he had some patience putting up with that type of carry-on and when there is pure stupidity like that. I congratulate Embrace FARM and say "Well done" for the services being provided. As Ms Rohan said in her statement, behind every one of those accidents there is a family, not a number. I lost my nephew to a silly farm accident a long time ago. It is not a number, but someone who has left behind a father, mother or family. I am in awe of the services the organisation is providing for families. I can imagine that in my situation, and everybody else here is in the same boat, if these types of services had been available it would have made a massive difference to families over the years.

The opening statement said that legislators need to put the farmers first, not just the product they are producing. To be honest, in my time on this committee it appears that with the requirements and regulations that are imposed on farmers, both domestically and by the European Union, alongside the need to be profitable or to break even, at least, our farmers' well-being is being pretty much overlooked. What can we do? Do the witnesses have suggestions for what we can do, as legislators, to address this? In particular, when regulations are passed for farmers and new demands are made, for example, in the case of slurry and soiled water storage, should the regulations be accompanied either by a health and safety message or assistance for farmers? On the same theme, there is new machinery coming on line all the time and demands are being made of farmers when it comes to the machinery they should use. Is training in the correct use of that machinery ever an issue? Could more be done either by the Department or the manufacturers? I would like to hear the witnesses' opinion on that.

On the mental health aspect, I recently read a report in the Irish Farmers Journalon mental health and how the ripple effect of changes to the agricultural policy and the restructuring of farming have an impact on the mental health of farmers.

Is this something our guests have seen or become aware of? Is attention being paid to it, given the changes the farming community faces? Do our guests have any suggestions about how to address that need?