Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

Tá fáilte roimh an tAire Stáit. The matter of farm safety is extremely important. I am confident that each one of us knows people who have been hurt or fatally injured as a result of farm accidents. Thank God, farming is going very well at the moment. Income levels have risen and there is significant buoyancy. To state that farming is the backbone of our country is a correct statement. I was very troubled when I saw the recent Teagasc national farm survey which is carried out every couple of years. It has noted that farm accidents have increased by 35%. Some 2,500 farm accidents were reported in 2010. I emphasise the word "reported" because I suspect many more minor accidents go unreported. Compared with 2006, when a similar survey was carried out, 1,800 accidents were reported. Effectively, this is an increase of 700 farm accidents, an increase of 35%.

I accept that health and safety awareness is firmly on the radar of all the farming organisations. Certainly educational programmes for health and safety training are in place unlike in times past. However, given the increase in buoyancy and the importance of farming, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as the leader of farming in society, has a responsibility to ensure farm safety is at the top of the farming political agenda. I encourage further action in this area and, if necessary, the allocation of resources as this would enable more people to participate in courses and to be trained in health and safety awareness. I suggest a half day module on farm safety awareness be rolled out in primary and secondary schools, particularly in rural areas, but also in non-rural areas given that many city dwellers go on holidays to farms and may have relatives who are not aware of the dangers. If this was done once a year it would make people aware of the obvious dangers.

The vast majority of accidents happen in the farmyard and involve machinery. The tragedies that occur in certain families which were imminently avoidable are heartbreaking. We have a responsibility to reduce the rate of accidents by 35% and even more as opposed to allowing it to increase.

Farming is a proud industry in which we are doing exceptionally well. It is one of the good news stories during these depressing times but we cannot take the finger off the pulse when it comes to farm safety. It is the single most important issue surrounding farming. The more awareness, education and training that is available the less accidents on farms.