Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Coveney, to the House and thank him for remaining for the entire debate. I compliment all involved in producing this excellent report, which I had an opportunity to read while I was in the Chair, including the Chairman of the committee, Senator O'Donovan, the rapporteur, Senator Martin Conway, and Martin Groves, who was the liaison person and secretary of the group. The group produced a very professional report at no additional cost to the House. I heard the Minister express his very personal involvement in and knowledge of the issues involved in this report.

I will not go through the excellent recommendations but will refer to my personal experience of living on a live farm with single suckler cows. There is less handling of cattle now, as the Minister knows. In the past, calves were bucket-fed and they got used to humans, but what is happening now, and I see this regularly, is that calves born on the farm are very sensitive. My wife, Mary, who is very conscious of that, and my son, Conor, are wary of going near cows when they are calving. That is a very dangerous period on a farm and it is something of which people must be aware.

There is a walk, the Suck Valley Way Walk, that goes through our land, which brings its own risks. I also know from walking the land, and not being there as much as others would be on the farm, that the cattle are very nervous of strangers.They get quite aggressive. That is why I am glad such good input has come from the submissions made to the joint committee. However, I witnessed myself a cow with meningitis attack my wife, Mary. She avoided being hit but it was a very close shave.

There are so many dangers and it is a matter of being aware. That is why the report has got such good coverage. It is making people very aware that a farm is an industry and somewhere children have to be protected. It is very hard to watch children on a farm when one is busy with silage making and other work. To keep an eye on children is practically impossible in that case. No matter how much one might like to have one's son or daughter on the tractor going around the fields, one just cannot do it. It is not a social outing or something I can recommend. I have seen too many cases of people coming from the bog with children sitting on top of the turf. We have to be more conscious of those things. The Minister has highlighted this himself and put a great deal of effort into the area. It was one of his objectives, as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to ensure that this has happened.

I noted the point Senator David Norris made on a meter. It is a very good point and it should be looked at because far too often this invisible and tasteless gas comes out when slurry pits are being cleaned. Too many accidents have happened and people must be very careful in this regard. All the points made in the report are actionable. I believe the Minister will take action given his great involvement. In fact, having regard to his other role as Minister for Defence, I note that the Army's engineering corps is very knowledgeable about safety and equipment. Some of the points made on getting rid of old equipment and ensuring that there is protection on the equipment itself are very important indeed.

I congratulate all of those involved in the report and I hope that it will be taken on board. Having participated in this process, the farming organisations will make their members very well aware of the recommendations and concerns expressed. Through the Minister and advertising, the Department will ensure that people are made conscious of what is involved. Farming is a very demanding industry at this stage. I note a terrible tragedy in our area a few months ago where a cow attacked and killed a woman on a farm in Kilrooskey. What spooked the cow was a cat following the woman on the farm. More than a dog, it spooked the cow which went for the cat. All of these little things are matters people have to be conscious of. One has to be aware of the dangers in a dangerous business. Animals are not as passive as they were. When one goes into a field one has to take protection with one and ensure one can defend oneself against restless animals. One does not know what they are concerned about. They get nervous because they have calves.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to contribute to the debate from the practical point of view of living on a farm.