Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I thank everybody for coming in. I am on a farm with four children and farm safety is a major issue. Equally, I know many older farmers are living on their own. I see this as a major issue around calving season, etc. We now also have the situation where many farmers have to go to work a full-time job, especially with the state of the suckler industry, to make ends meet. This is what they must do. We are, therefore, dealing with people who may be a little bit tired and might take a little extra chance. I would love to see more targeted TV ads on safety before calving season, when, for example, the quiet cow that has just had a calf could turn into a lunatic. It is more about the visual aspect that ensures it is fresh in people's minds. It must= be targeted. It is like what Ms Jordan said when she commented about going into schools to see kids at certain times of the year. It must be targeted to when people will have information fresh in their minds. It is the same as any farmer, and could be about baling time or whatever. It is about safety around the heavy loads tractors are travelling with, being mindful of other traffic, etc. It is about the media and the TV aspect and getting the ads out at a time targeted for all the different months. Coming up to Christmas, for example, is when farmers are most under pressure because subsidies have not come through and people are knocking on their doors. I am referring to the mental health side of things as well and having help and support out there.

Ms Rohan mentioned multi-annual funding. Has she got a figure for how much is needed? How is Embrace FARM being funded now? I pose the same question to Ms Jordan regarding funding. What funding does AgriKids need? How much would bring the organisation a step further? What is the blockage with getting into the schools, getting the story out and getting the education over to kids?