Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to pay tribute to my colleagues, Senators O'Donovan and Conway, for the work they have done on this report. I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for taking the time to discuss this report. It is vitally important that great care is practised on farms. Farm safety is not an issue that should be taken lightly. I would like to extend my sympathies to the family of a lady in County Meath who passed away last week following an attack from a freshly calved cow. Her death marks the fifth farm fatality in 2015. Over 30 people lost their lives on Irish farms last year. As has already been mentioned, the agriculture sector accounts for 6% of total employment but 60% of all work-related fatalities. This incredible statistic shows exactly why a shift in farm safety must be implemented. These figures are unbelievably high. We need to do everything in our power to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by farm accidents.

I welcome the recommendations in this report, which can vastly improve the safety levels practised on our farms. When it was compiling its farm safety report, the Seanad Public Consultation Committee met many stakeholders in the agriculture industry. This reports contains a number of recommendations made by the organisations that contributed to the committee's work and made submissions to it. The report recommends an increase in ongoing education and peer-generated learning for members of the farming community. In practical terms, this involves using discussion groups and getting farmers to educate groups of farmers. That is very important. Most of us are aware that groups of farmers meet on farms. It is vital that farm safety is discussed on such occasions. It has already been mentioned that the report recommends that an awareness-building campaign be conducted in conjunction with the GAA and community champions as part of a nationwide awareness initiative. This could potentially take the form of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine liaising with a GAA-appointed national farm safety officer. Perhaps assistance could be provided to bereaved families when they are dealing with administration and legal difficulties following a farm fatality. It is extremely important that we work to ensure the report's recommendations are implemented. This should not be another example of a report allowed to sit on a shelf.

As Senators, we have a duty to help our friends, neighbours and fellow citizens. As someone who comes from a farming background, I know too well the dangers we face on farms. It is imperative that we provide farmers with knowledge and information on farm safety. I particularly commend the green cert course that is provided by Teagasc to all farmers. This course has been developed to meet the training requirements of full-time and part-time farmers who hold non-agriculture major award qualifications at level 6 or higher. The course contains modules on farm safety and best practice. It is essential that resources and places are available for any farmer who wishes to take this course. I know that in my own part of the country, young farmers find it difficult to attain places on green cert courses. This is a matter that needs to be resolved. We need to put farm safety discussion and consultation groups in place. This method has proved fruitful in other areas of farming. I believe it would help in the area of farm safety too. It is important that we learn from one another and work together to make the farm a safer environment for everyone. I thank the Minister again for taking the time to be here with us today. I look forward to hearing his comments and views on the report and on the points I have made.