Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very welcome to the House and I thank him for coming. I have submitted this matter for inclusion in the Commencement debate a few times and I am delighted to be called today.

My ask today is for the Minister to consider including a disability accessibility adaption grant for farming families under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS 3, in order to make farm equipment, farm machinery and farmyards more accessible for persons with a disability. As we know TAMS 3 is a vital programme that provides financial support for farmers to modernise their farming practices, equipment and facilities. The programme has had very positive effect on farmers who have been able to improve their yields, increase their income and improve their sustainability practices.

However, we cannot ignore the needs of the disabled community. Farmers with disabilities face additional challenges when it comes to modernising their farming practices, equipment and facilities. We must ensure that TAMS 3 works for all and is accessible to all farming families regardless of ability. Therefore, I strongly suggest that we consider adding disability accessibility adaption and assistive technology to the list of eligible areas for TAMS 3 funding. This would allow farmers with a disability to access the resources they need to modernise the operations.

Agricultural work can be mentally and physically demanding. This does not mean that people with disabilities cannot enter the field or must stop farming after illness or injury. Many people living with disabilities choose agriculture for their career. According to CSO statistics there are approximately 136,000 farmers in the country and an average of 13.5% of the population with a disability. This means that approximately 16,000 farmers could have a disability. This does not include farming family members or workers employed on farms. Surely these farmers deserve the opportunity to be supported.

Many farmers are already struggling with low commodity prices, severe weather, long hours and all of the additional pressures on farming families. We need to ensure there are no added barriers for farmers and farming families with disabilities. There should be a method to keep farmers with disabilities updated on emerging agricultural technologies and to provide them with information on assistive technologies. An example of assistive technology includes modified machinery for those who cannot independently climb onto traditional tractors and modified farm equipment that is wheelchair accessible.

We could also look at a national agri-ability project aimed at enhancing the quality of life for farmers and other agricultural workers with disabilities so that they, their families and their communities continue to succeed in rural Ireland. An agri-ability programme would help persons with disabilities obtain gainful employment in productive agriculture. It would provide access to appropriate assistive technologies needed for work and for daily living activities. It would have evidence-based information related to the treatment and rehabilitation of disabling conditions and it would provide support for family caregivers to the farmer. A programme such as this would address a wide variety of disabling conditions in agriculture. I hope the Minister can look at this proposal and give me a favourable outcome.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator McGreehan for raising this important topic. I have always seen the need to help to provide supports to make farm equipment, farm machinery and farmyards more accessible for persons with disabilities. I am very conscious of ensuring that persons with a disability who are farming receive the appropriate supports, as I know Senator McGreehan is too.

Recently I announced the new targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS 3, with a budget of €370 million. It will provide funding for capital investment on farms over the coming five years. One of the ten new TAMS 3 schemes is the farm safety capital investment scheme, which has a €90,000 investment ceiling and a new higher grant rate of 60%. This will encourage farmers to invest in physical safety infrastructure.

Since 2021 the type of equipment for persons with a disability to which Senator McGreehan referred have qualified under the acceleration of wear and tear allowances for farm safety equipment. Equipment covered by this scheme cannot be grant aided under any other departmental scheme, such as TAMS 3. However, I will ask the officials to see whether there are other opportunities in this whereby we can take additional steps, if there are any, that can aid the very worthy objective that we all want to achieve of ensuring that disability is not a barrier to participating in having a full professional life as a farmer.In October 2021, the Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety, Deputy Martin Heydon, launched the acceleration of wear and tear allowances, which was a very worthy first-time initiative in this space. It allows for accelerated capital allowances on qualifying farm safety and adaptation equipment. This had a particular emphasis on supporting those who have suffered life-changing injuries as a result of incidents on farms or have limited mobility due to health issues.

Capital allowances are available at 12.5% per annum over eight years for agricultural equipment generally, but the scheme allows for accelerated capital allowances of 50% per annum over two years for certain qualifying equipment including, for example, access lift, hoists or integrated ramps to a farm vehicle, wheelchair-docking stations and modified controls to enable full-hand operation of a farm vehicle. The scheme supports the extensive reconfiguration of controls to enable a farm vehicle or farm machinery to be operated by a disabled person. On receipt of a valid application, the Department issues a farm safety or adaptation accelerated capital allowance certificate to the applicant for submission to Revenue in support of such claims. An annual total equipment cost of €5 million per annum, excluding VAT for the measure applies to this scheme. With this scheme, the Department is supporting farmers and those who have suffered serious physical injury or illness to get back to work. This is about more than just enabling people to getting back to farming, however. It is also about improving their physical and mental well-being.

This accelerated capital allowance underlines the priority afforded to the issue of farm safety in the programme for Government and reflects the commitment to make further progress. The Government has prioritised farm safety, health and well-being. In addition to the farm safety capital investment scheme and the acceleration of wear and tear allowances for farm safety equipment scheme, my ministerial colleagues also secured dedicated funding of €2.5 million for a range of farm safety, health and well-being initiatives in the budget for this year. These initiatives include supports for education and awareness through promoting farm safety practices and risk awareness that encourages behavioural change around farm safety from a young age while also supporting those who have been affected by fatal and non-fatal incidents.

Farming, as we know all too well, is a dangerous occupation. It is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling career paths but the statistics on deaths, injuries and near misses are frightening. We are all focused in the Department on reducing the risk associating with farming. The Minister of State has done tremendous work in this space and I will continue to back him in these endeavours. Through the investments I have outlined, particularly TAMS 3, we are playing a leadership role in helping to make safer work environments on our farms.

Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am glad to hear of all the positive work the Department is doing. What sort of accessibility funding has been drawn down and what are the results of that? Are there reviews of the wear and tear allowances and the farm assistance equipment scheme? What is the results-based knowledge on that? Is a review built into the system to ensure it is disability proofed and does what it is supposed to do? These are very positive schemes and the Minister has taken a proactive approach to them. I thank him for his presence in the Chamber and look forward to following up on the results.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I do not have the figures on the uptake so far. It was a first-time initiative that was innovative in looking at the disability challenges that existed at farm level, and from a Government point of view, we have been working to support that. Alongside that, we are doing significant work in the farm safety space as well, given many of the challenges relating to disability can result from on-farm accidents. Farming is, unfortunately, the most dangerous occupation. Despite the fact it can be fulfilling, it is dangerous.

There are accelerated capital allowances in respect of farm safety equipment and TAMS provide support in that regard. I will ask my team to examine any further opportunities to work to support farmers, especially those who have needs in regard to being able to have access, and disability measures taken at farm level to see whether we can take any additional steps there. The commitment of the Government is reflected in the appointment of the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, with specific responsibility for farm safety. Working with him and the team in the Department, I will look to see whether there are any additional steps we can take in this space. We have done more than has ever happened previously and we want to continue to support it.