Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

At this point in 2011 there have been 25 fatalities recorded in the agriculture sector. This figure constitutes half of all workplace fatalities, 52, for 2010 which unfortunately follows the trend seen in 2010, when 26 people lost their lives in agriculture as a result of a farming accident. Therefore, 6% to 7% of the working population had to deal with the tragedy of half of all workplace fatalities. That is the situation in agriculture at present. It is shocking, and we all have a responsibility to do something about it.

In June, I provided the opening address at the National Farm Safety Conference, the theme of which was livestock safety – one of the main causes of farm fatalities in Ireland after tractors and machinery related incidents. In July, I launched the "Family Farm and Countryside Safety Week" at Dublin Zoo at the request of Agri Aware. In August, I gave the opening address at the annual international meeting on agricultural occupational health and safety, held in Dublin, which was a really good conference. In September, I contributed a short journalistic piece to the farm health and safety supplement in the Irish Farmers Journal. The purpose of that article was to promote an increased awareness of farm safety and to focus, in particular, on the need to change farming attitudes, which I believe is a key issue in farm safety.

In September also, I attended the National Ploughing Championships in Athy where I visited and gave my support to the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, stand. Ultimately, this is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Authority but from an agricultural point of view there is also a broad farm safety partnership advisory committee, involving a series of farm groups and stakeholders, which puts a huge amount of work into this. In October, my Department, represented by Dr. Dave Beehan, chief inspector, along with other stakeholders, met with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, at this Department to discuss farm safety and explore ways in which we can all play our part in improving farm safety. The Minister has indicated a follow-up meeting for early 2012.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

I firmly believe that the key to reducing fatalities and accidents on Irish farms lies in bringing about a change in the way we think about safety on Irish farms. The key to bringing about that cultural change lies in increasing the awareness of safety issues among farmers. I have taken every opportunity afforded me to promote farm safety awareness and will continue to do so. My Department is strongly committed to assisting the HSA in promoting farm safety initiatives. It is represented on the farm safety partnership advisory committee, FSPAC, which reports regularly to the board of the HSA.

Farm safety concerns are an integral part of all farm buildings specifications drawn up by my Department and farm safety has comprised part of the training for many schemes, including the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, and the dairy efficiency programme. There is a dedicated farm safety area on my Department's website home page. Teagasc has been very active in providing farm safety training to farmers and farm advisers nationwide. My Department and I will continue to work closely with the HSA, the FSPAC, Teagasc and others towards achieving a reduction in fatalities and accidents on Irish farms.

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