Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

This is a very important issue and I commend the Minister on his work and for taking a proactive stance to ensure that awareness of farm safety is raised. I also compliment the Health and Safety Authority which is rolling out its new safety campaign in an effort to reduce the high number of farm deaths in Ireland. Its press release is very effective in that it shows a farmer who has lost his arm as a result of an accident. The sad thing about many of these accidents is that they are easily avoidable. In many cases, people have been farming for a lifetime and there is almost a sense of complacency in how they approach handling livestock. It is important to stress that the temperament of animals can often change suddenly and without warning, and this can result in tragedy. Will the Minister share his views on what he believes is the best way to get the message across to a generation of older farmers? Everybody knows it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

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