Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the Bill. I concur with the Leader's remarks on farm accidents. My wife, who grew up on a farm, often remarked that those from an urban background do not appreciate farming culture. However, in the context of the use of high technology on farms, it is tragic to hear of young children who fall off or are pinned under tractors. This happens on a regular basis and is widely publicised. I do not understand why parents do not ensure that children are strapped into safety harnesses. I raise this issue because the Minister of State noted the need for promotion of the concept of health and safety. The new health and safety body will presumably address this issue, perhaps through an advisory committee.

I first became aware of workplace health and safety as a teenager while employed by the Initial Towel Company in London, which controlled 97% of the market in washing facilities in Ireland and the UK. The company existed because of an Act which obliged employers to provide washing facilities and a certain degree of safety in the workplace.

The content of this Bill reveals how far we have advanced in the area of health and safety. While Ireland can boast of a proud record in this area, EU initiatives have also made a significant contribution. I sometimes wonder whether the public is aware of the daily impact of the EU on our lives and the manner in which directives are introduced. While the Government has an input into legislation through the Council of Ministers, it is ultimately a matter of incorporating EU initiatives into Irish law. I often wonder if the general public is aware of the growing importance of European institutions in our daily lives. I hope that all of us who are supportive of the EU constitutional treaty will take the opportunity in the forthcoming debate to inform and remind the public of the importance of these institutions.

Lack of health or safety provisions directly affected a young man from my home town of Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, Shane McGettigan, whose father Charlie McGettigan represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Incidentally, this year's entrants, who are from the Leader's home town of Athlone, are going to Kiev this week and I wish them well.

Shane McGettigan, who was 21, went to Boston five or six summers ago seeking employment, like many other young Irishmen. He and a young man from Dundalk worked on scaffolding in Quincey, outside Boston. They were employed to remove worn bricks from the side of an apartment block. Nobody told them anything about safety and they were not wearing harnesses while on the scaffolding. Their employer had been convicted of non-compliance with health and safety regulations. Both Shane and his friend fell from the scaffolding when the weight of the bricks toppled the platform and they both died. They died because their employer did not comply with the limited health and safety regulations that operate in the United States. There, the mighty dollar seems to be in the ascendant and health and safety measures are not always introduced. It is said there is a lack of education and awareness of health and safety in America. This Bill places great emphasis on ensuring greater awareness of these issues, although there is already a high level of compliance in this country.

Senator McDowell referred to the fact that the social partners and employers are supportive of this Bill, which is positive. There is not much point in the Government introducing legislation of this kind, which impacts directly on competitiveness and on the economic engine of the country, unless the partners comply with it.

I welcome the legislation and believe it is another building block in the efforts to improve health and safety at work. In 1989, when the then Minister for Labour, Deputy Bertie Ahern, introduced the first legislation in this area, the workforce numbered 1.2 million. Today, the workforce is approaching 2 million. There are cranes all over the country and much evidence of Ireland's economic progress, but with that progress comes responsibility, both for employers and employees.

Recent newspaper reports have stated that health and safety inspectors are taking a more proactive approach because they believe sufficient legislation is in place to allow them to pursue those who are not complying with the regulations. That is a welcome development and this House strongly supports the actions of the Minister of State in this area.