Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I believe he has one of the most important portfolios in Government. Many of our economic ambitions for growth, investment and sustainable jobs all revolve around farming, food and the marine and are set out in Harvest 2020 and Food Wise 2025. Agriculture is therefore without a doubt the backbone of our economy, employing so many people, and when the sector is broken down into the production units or powerhouses that drive the production and growth that we hope for and envisage, we are talking about farms and farm families. It is therefore very appropriate that we consider farm safety and its impact on families, especially in light of the statistics that show, notwithstanding the welcome reduction in the past couple of years in the number of tragedies on farms, that they are nonetheless too numerous. They basically take somebody out of a family.

The beauty of farming in our country is it is very much focused and driven by and around farm families. Not only is that good for the economy, but it is also good for rural Ireland. They are the heartbeat of rural Ireland. The social and economic infrastructure requires farmers and farm families. We know, as we have become more advanced and there is more emphasis on production and efficiency and so on, that the methods of farming have changed. Farming has become more mechanised and the way we handle animals has also changed. Farming is in the unique situation whereby it is a question, for the most part, of people whose family homes are also on a farm. One's home is therefore in the workplace, and this gives rise to particular problems or risks for families, especially given that there are now technology and machines that are high-powered and need a certain skill when being handled. That is why a farm safety week is so important. It is important that people are briefed on and apprised and made aware of risks they are taking, whether through bad habits or lack of information, and how they can be avoided with certain measures and steps. I welcome all the initiatives that the Minister has outlined to that end. As I said, farm machinery is more powerful. The Minister mentioned a cow and a calf and how the cow might feel about somebody approaching her with a calf. The reality, however, is that years ago people handled animals a lot more. Animals nowadays are put out into a field and they have very little human contact and are half-wild.

Years ago it was manure, but now that we have become more sophisticated the issue is slurry, its handling and the noxious gases that come from it. A farmer on his farm explained to me that if one is standing in the wrong place at the wrong time, one can be so overwhelmed by the fumes, that they can cause a fatality, and that is without actually coming into contact with it at all. It is therefore important that all these aspects are brought to mind and that we have this safety week initiative. I particularly welcome under the TAMS 2 scheme, the farm safety scheme, the half-day farm safety course because sometimes everybody is busy with their work and their families and they need maybe to stand still. Having that as a prerequisite to claiming grant aid is an important step, as are all the other measures, including bringing children along, because children are being brought up on farms and they can sometimes point things out to adults. In view of this I endorse and welcome the week that is in it.

I note one interesting proposal by the president of the ICSA, Patrick Kent, that a VAT refund be given to farmers purchasing protective safety gear or equipment. We all know that commodity prices are depressed in many fields. This is an extra expense on hard-pressed farmers and this refund would be a way to make sure it is not an undue financial burden by considering allowing them a VAT rebate when they go about taking steps and measures to protect themselves and their families. I ask the Minister to consider this.

A final issue I would like to raise with the Minister are complaints I have been receiving from farmers that the meat factories are unfairly pulling the price of meat on account of the Brexit vote. The argument is that there is currency volatility on account of the drop in the value of sterling. I understand that market supply means that there is not as much meat readily available in either Britain or Ireland and that actually the price in the UK is 2p more per kilogram. The suggestion and the complaint of farmers - they are feeling it in their pockets - seems to be that there is some sort of concerted practice to take advantage of this situation. A beef forum meeting is scheduled in a couple of weeks but I ask that the Minister examine this issue. There is such an emphasis on quality meat and checks and balances and systems that is places a great responsibility on those concerned and it also places an onerous responsibility on farmers who produce meat. We would like to see them get a fair crack of the whip when it comes to a price for their commodity and that there is not anything untoward going on with the factories. I look forward to the Minister's response-----