Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome those in the Gallery to Seanad Éireann. I welcome the opportunity to be here today for statements on the important topic of farmer mental health and farm safety. I am joined by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae. I thank Senator Paul Daly for requesting these statements, which cover an important topic.

At the ploughing championships in September, we jointly launched a new free programme of mental health supports for men, which I will speak about today, but it is great to continue our collaboration in this area. As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, I particularly welcome today’s statements, the first time we have dedicated a session specifically to farmer mental health. This is a topic that demands urgent action and attention. When I spoke in the Seanad in May on mental health and suicide reduction, there was strong engagement from Senators and I look forward to a similarly constructive debate today.

We have said it before, and it is worth repeating: there is no health without mental health. For farmers, this rings especially true. They are the backbone of our rural communities and economy, yet they face unique pressures and challenges. Farming is a real vocation and it can be a fulfilling and rewarding occupation, but it is not an easy job. It is high pressure and demanding, which brings with it very real risks and stressors to the health of our farmers. The result is that farmers are considered a group that is at risk of developing mental health issues, and we know from research that farmers face higher levels of anxiety and depression than the general population.

In Ireland, one in four farmers faces burnout, which is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in emotionally demanding situations. Over time, there can be an accumulation of mental health risks and then a reluctance to seek help. Farmers are very self-reliant people and it can be hard for them to reach out for support. The Government recognises this and that is why there is a specific focus in the programme for Government on farmer mental health and well-being. I am committed to working collaboratively with the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, to advance this area. Improving access to mental health supports and services for all farmers, men and women, is a priority for us to progress as a Government.

The Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, has secured €3 million in dedicated funding in budget 2026 to deliver an expanded range of farm safety, health and well-being initiatives. According to Teagasc, most farmers experience some stress, with a small proportion experiencing it frequently or constantly. However, the minority of farmers who have poor well-being must have access to and receive the necessary supports. While studies have also revealed that Irish farmers are experiencing a range of challenges and stressors that are negatively impacting their mental health, it is important to note that research by Teagasc has found that, overall, the incidence of death by suicide among farmers is not significantly different from the general population. Farmers have good resilience, and we must work to sustain and support this.

On Feirm Ground is an innovative partnership programme between my Department and the Department of agriculture which trains agricultural advisers, vets, departmental staff, farming organisations and other agri-professionals to recognise and respond to signs of stress or mental ill health among farmers and refer appropriately. This is an excellent example of cross-government working, and I acknowledge the leadership demonstrated by my colleagues on improving farmer health and well-being. It demonstrates a whole-of-government approach, cofunded by our two Departments. This collaborative working is key to our collaborative cross-government working, which is underpinned by our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision.

We know from the CSO farm structure survey that the vast majority, 86%, of farmers are men, and I have recently launched a new free programme of mental health and counselling supports for men. I was delighted to launch it with Senator Daly at the ploughing championships recently. This is a significant initiative, with the provision of over 15,000 free counselling sessions for men every year, backed up by €2 million in dedicated annual funding. The programme started on 1 September and will be delivered in partnership with trusted providers such as Connect Counselling and MyMind. Farmers can access these counselling sessions for free through GP referral and yourmentalhealth.ie/men. Anyone who comes into a constituency office or get in touch will find it easy to log on and they will be able to see all of the supports that are provided. It is important that these supports are free, and they are, because cost should never be a barrier to mental health supports. Too often men delay seeking help because they fear the financial burden. By removing that barrier, we are sending a clear message: help is available and it is free.

These sessions will be delivered in person and online, ensuring flexibility for men in rural areas, men with busy work schedules and men who feel more comfortable starting their journey in a private setting. Sitting at a kitchen table, people can self-refer to Counselling Connect from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week and speak to a professional counsellor about whatever is going on. People can have up to six phone calls, and if they feel at that stage they would like to meet the counsellor in person, that can and will be arranged.

The HSE is currently running a national awareness campaign aimed at breaking down stigma and encouraging men to take that first step. Included will be a targeted media campaign using the full range of communication channels available, including social media, paid search and local radio, as well as a co-ordinated approach to stakeholder engagement with a range of voluntary and community partner organisations, including men’s sheds. I have partnered with Exchange House, which supports Travellers, and Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann, ONE, which represents retired veterans from the Army, Naval Service and Garda. I have also partnered with MyMind because many men work on farms having come into Ireland on permits. They speak a variety of languages and MyMind provides support in 20 different languages. That was another barrier we discovered was a problem.

We have already partnered with the Irish College of GPs, which is aware of all these supports. My team in the Department met over 1,200 GPs online in September to let them know that these supports are available and free of charge and that 15,000 counselling hours are available and recur annually.This is all about improving and saving lives. It is all about creating a culture where men feel it is okay to say they are not okay. It is about ensuring that when a man reaches out for help, the help is there quickly, locally and without judgment. It is also about knowing that recovery is possible. We know that early intervention works, that talking saves lives and that when men engage with mental health services, outcomes improve dramatically.

Unfortunately, four out of every five suicides are of males. Two thirds of all counselling supports accessed today will be accessed by women. Between 2000 and 2023, our suicide rates reduced by 28%. The preliminary figures for 2023 came in at 302, which is 25% lower than in the previous year. These will be revised upwards as coroners' reports come in but, at the same time, we are seeing a trend. The work of the national office for suicide prevention, Pieta, the Samaritans and all of the various organisations on the ground is having an impact. That is really important.

Alongside this new initiative for men, Connecting for Life is our national suicide prevention strategy. The HSE’s national office for suicide prevention is teaming up with a range of stakeholders from the farming community to support farm-focused scenarios that help guide suicide intervention efforts. These scenarios will feature in the HSE online suicide prevention training programme, Let’s Talk About Suicide. I was proud to launch the programme last year. This new version of it will complement existing farm safety, mental health and well-being programmes, including On Feirm Ground.

Mental health remains a top priority in budget 2026, with over €15 million in new funding allocated to crisis support and suicide prevention. This includes specialist nursing teams in all model 4 emergency departments during out-of-hours periods and the roll-out of three new crisis resolution services such as drop-in Solace crisis cafés, which offer community-based alternatives to emergency departments in model 3 hospital areas. Early results from the five existing Solace cafés, one each in Galway, Sligo and Cork and two in Dublin, show an 18% reduction in emergency department presentations for people in distress. The three new services to be developed next year will be established in the predominantly rural areas of Donegal, Kerry and the midlands. Additional suicide crisis assessment nurses, SCANs, will be recruited to support individuals presenting to GPs and funding has been increased for community and voluntary organisations, including Pieta.

I thank the Senators for the opportunity to speak here today. I look forward to hearing the contribution of my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, in the closing remarks. I apologise for going over time.

Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Not at all, the Minister of State's timing is spot-on.

Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the Ministers of State. While it is not unprecedented to have two here, it is very unusual. There is a reason I asked for the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to be here when I requested a debate on farm safety and farmer health and well-being. There is a little anomaly. I have been here since 2016 and, back in the day, we used to have debates on farm safety awareness during Farm Safety Week. However, in recent years, Farm Safety Week has fallen during our recess so we have not been afforded the opportunity to highlight the issues pertaining and related to farm safety. When asking for the debate on farm safety, I felt it would be a fantastic statement from us in the Seanad to have Deputy Butler here along with Deputy Healy-Rae, whom I welcome, to raise awareness of the fact that when we talk about farmer health and well-being, we talk about mental health as well as physical health. While, as I have said, it might be unusual to have two Ministers here, I genuinely could have gone for the hat-trick. Perhaps I should have because the HSA, the body that ultimately polices safety, is under the remit of the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. I could have been greedy and gone for a hat-trick of Ministers. That is a big part of the problems we have when it comes to farmer health and well-being and farm safety. If you have more than one Department involved, things fall between the cracks. Everybody is responsible but there can be situations where ultimately nobody is responsible.

On the importance of the mental side, I am going to use an analogy. I am addicted to a programme about air traffic accident investigations. It is not a good pastime to have when you fly. When you are sitting on the runway, you think you hear a rattle in the plane that reminds you of an episode you have seen where a similar rattle caused a crash in Hong Kong or somewhere. I am big into it because of the thorough investigations that are carried out after each accident. The investigators will not put the file away until they know the reason for whatever happened. Some 60% to 80% come down to human or pilot error. It has been proven. The same investigations are not done on the farm safety side but it is thoroughly investigated on that side. The vast majority of that human or pilot error - it is not necessarily the pilot but it can involve air traffic control - comes down to mental fatigue and stress. There are strict rules about the number of hours pilots and air traffic control people can work. Those rules do not exist in agriculture. At the busy time of the season, the farmer is on the tractor for a hell of a lot longer than the pilot is on the plane. It only makes sense that there would be mental stress and fatigue involved.

While that is a major problem in itself, it is also most likely leading to some of the physical accidents. I will not go into all of the statistics because the Minister of State has just given them but, unfortunately, two fifths or 40% of all fatal accidents in the workplace occur in the agriculture sector although only 6.5% of the workforce is in that sector. That tells a story in itself. We are mixing chemicals, heavy machinery and animals and, in many cases, the farmyard of daddy and mammy is the playground of the offspring. There are a lot of things going on. There are a lot of things at play.

It is very hard to get one ideal solution that fixes all because there are so many different people involved. The Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, will be rolled out because of his responsibility in the Department of agriculture but, at the end of the day, he is probably having to work with the HSA, which is under another Department. I introduced a Bill in the Seanad a couple of years ago. It is still in the system. I would like the Department to look at it again. While I am not in favour of quangos, this Bill sets up a farm safety agency modelled on the Road Safety Authority. It deserves consideration and should be revisited and looked at again because we might see fit to put such a body together. That would pull all of the different strands of the web together. There would then be one body answerable for farm safety, farmer well-being, farmer mental health and farmer physical well-being. I am aware of the farm safety partnership but this would go a step further.

I will address Deputy Butler as Chief Whip rather than as Minister of State on this next point. It may be dangerous to mention media training but, when you do media training with experts, they will talk about the negative bias of talk radio. In other words, negativity is the punchline on such programmes. If you are a farmer during the summer months harvesting or making silage or hay when the pressure is on, you can potentially be sitting into your tractor at 6 a.m. and listening to talk radio until midnight. If there is a negative bias, as has been proven, what does that do to your mental health? You are also looking up at the clouds through your windscreen to see whether it is going to rain. You are looking back at the trailer and perhaps the yield is not what you thought it would be. There are many other things going on. In a great many cases, you are on your own. It is about the isolation.

I welcome the schemes the Minister of State has mentioned. I compliment the organisations, the IFA and the other representative bodies, which collectively do fantastic work with the farmer health check. Agrikids provides training in schools to educate the children in safety. When the children are educated and made aware of the safety measures that are needed, they will police the adult generation.If the children learn it in school and come home and see their daddy or mammy taking a risk or doing something that they have been taught in school is the wrong way to go, there is nobody better than a child to police you. Education is part of it. The FRS farm safety awareness training and the Bord Bia skin cancer awareness are the Minister of State's initiatives, and I welcome them. I was privileged to be asked by her to chair her launch at the ploughing championships of the 15,000 free counselling hours. It is so important that the man I just mentioned, when he gets off his tractor, does not have change his clothes or anything if he wants to reach out; he can do it at his own kitchen table. The Minister of State kept using that phrase and it is a brilliant one - he can do it from his own kitchen table. I welcome that. There has been a lot done, but there is a lot more to be done. The pulling of it all together under one agency may be the answer. It will not be a magic wand, but it certainly may be a step in the right direction.

I welcome the priorities in the programme for Government to continue to prioritise improvements in farm safety and health and well-being through the strengthening supports. I welcome the supports that the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, has put funding into new PTOs. He has done a lot of work with awareness and a lot of very good work in the area. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is placing a specific focus on farmer mental health and well-being. Again, I welcome that. We want to promote positive mental health and well-being across the farming sector. That is the programme for Government and now we just need to go and do it. So far, I have to compliment the Minister of State. I will conclude on Bertie Ahern's famous statement: a lot done, but there is a hell of a lot more to do.

Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Senators Collins and Ryan are sharing time. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the two Ministers of State. I thank them for being here. It is an important and topical issue that we need to be discussing. We need to make sure that these farmers are getting the supports that they need. I am delighted to hear of the extra hours that the Department has allocated. Farming is one of the most important, but also one of the most dangerous professions in this country. Our farmers are the backbone of rural Ireland. They provide us with our food, sustain our local economies and preserve the rural way of life. In return, we owe them something very simple: a safe, fair and supportive environment for them to work. Yet, year after year farms remain the most dangerous workplaces in the State. Almost half of all workplace fatalities happen in agriculture. Eighteen people lost their lives already this year. That is 18 too many. Over the past decade, more than 200 families have been left without a loved one because of farm fatalities. Behind those numbers is a parent, partner, son or daughter. Lives are cut short in communities where everybody in that community understands and knows the tragedy that occurs on a farm.

Around 4,500 farm accidents happen every year. Nearly half of them require hospitalisation. The main causes are too familiar, such as tractors turning over, uncovered PTO shafts, poor cattle handling facilities, livestock aggression after calves are born, and slurry related drowning and gas poisoning. The truth is that even the most experienced and careful farmer can be caught out. When an accident happens in a remote field or yard, it can be fatal because there is no help nearby. That is why in Sinn Féin we believe that farm safety has to become a national priority, not just a line in a policy document. We need to see the real investment in safer infrastructure through schemes like the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS.

Farm safety education should be early. It should be in our colleges, but also in our schools. I was delighted to hear that we have Agrikids that goes into schools. It needs to be prioritised and needs to be across the country. It is the younger ones, when they see and understand the safety side of it, who will go home and explain. They should not have to explain to their parents, but they are the best ones to pull us up on what we are doing wrong. We need the Department to ensure that every farm scheme and course includes the clear safety requirements and supports.

There is the other side to farm safety. There is a side that is unseen, which is the mental health side of it. Farming is not just physically demanding; it is also very lonely and can be so for many farmers. Many farmers work long days alone often under financial and regulatory pressure. When times are tough, that isolation can turn dangerous. Unfortunately, rural isolation, succession uncertainty, income insecurity and rising operational costs are all taking a toll on mental health. Too many farmers are carrying that weight in silence. Sinn Féin has consistently called for a joined-up rural and mental health strategy, one that brings together the health, agriculture, community and transport policies to tackle isolation and to improve the access to supports.

Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank both Ministers of State for being here. They are most welcome. It is great to hear that suicide rates have started to come down, but not all suicides are recorded as suicides. Some are recorded as misadventure. We can only go on the statistics that we have, but sometimes that does not reflect the truth of what people are encountering on the ground. For every statistic, there is a family that is shattered, a neighbour lost or a community that is grieving. Machinery, livestock and slurry tanks can be unpredictable and deadly. Even the most careful experienced farmer can fall victim to tragedy. Farm safety is not just about physical risk, it is the mental risk as well. Teagasc and HSE research shows that farmers experience higher levels of psychological distress, anxiety and depression than other occupational groups.

In rural Ireland, suicide rates remain stubbornly high, and in too many homes that silence continues. That silence is costing people's lives. As so many others have mentioned, it is time for a national co-ordinated response that recognises that mental health well-being is just as important as farm safety and physical well-being. We need accessible mental health supports that meet farmers where they are. That means it should not be in distant clinics, it should be at local GPs, primary level centres and community hubs. We should also extend outreach to where the farm discussion groups are being held, where farmers meet in marts with Teagasc advisers, and places where farmers already go and trust people. The peer-to-peer support is vital because sometimes the most powerful interaction is a conversation with somebody who truly knows what is going on. We should invest in farming programmes that provide connection and purpose for people, particularly those who are recovering from trauma or have addiction or mental health challenges. Addiction and trauma will impact our farmers as well. People think that people who farm have their lives together and sometimes addiction does not touch them, but it is does sometimes and that is another layer they have to face.

On a policy level, mental well-being cannot be separate from the wider realities of rural life. A farmer who feels financially secure, who can plan for succession and has access to childcare, housing and stable supports is far less likely to reach crisis point. That is why there needs to be a cross-departmental strategy that is bringing various Departments together, because it cannot just fall to mental health or agriculture. We also have to properly fund a lot of the organisations that are already doing some great work. The Minister of State mentioned a few of them. Things like Embrace FARM, the Farm Well Hub and Macra na Feirme do a lot of great work among their communities at a local level. There is the IFA and a lot of local initiatives that maybe some of us have never heard of that do great work on the ground with volunteers.

Farmers deserve more than our sympathy after a tragedy. They deserve a system that prevents it and values their work, supports their well-being and keeps them safe. When we protect our farmers, we protect our food supply, rural heritage and the fabric of Irish life. What we need to do is make the people who feed the nation no longer feel like they are left to struggle by themselves, support them and recognise that they are just as valuable, if not more, in our society that keeps us going.

Paraic Brady (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State is very welcome. Today I would like to raise a couple of issues regarding farm safety. I also welcome the extension to the new PTO shaft cover scheme of two weeks. The two weeks are very welcome. As everybody knows, a lot of farm accidents have occurred with uncovered shafts in the last number of years. Farmers have bought into it. I see the worth in extending that. I urge farmers out there to have a look at the shafts regarding PTO driven machinery. If it is in a state of disrepair, please use the scheme that is there to replace the covers on these shafts.

Brian Rohan is from Mountrath, County Laois. He lost his father Liam in 2012. Liam suffered a serious blow to the head while working farm machinery. Brian and his wife Norma set up Embrace FARM, a support for farm families. It would be remiss of me not to mention it today in this House for the work that he and his family have done regarding farm safety and in helping to support people who have lost loved ones in farm accidents. What he has done for safety in the farm community is certainly worthwhile. He is dealing with bereavement, loss of life and loss of limbs. It is worthwhile to mention. His website is embracefarm.com and I would hope that people would use the service that is there.

As we know, farm safety is one of the key areas for the workforce that works on farms every day, especially in the summertime when there is a rush and how accidents do happen and can happen. It is like everything else. We have road safety. We have seen the implications that came regarding speed in towns and villages and one thing or another. When it comes to farm safety, there are certain parts of farm safety. I commend Senator Paul Daly on bringing a Bill forward a number of years ago regarding farm safety. That Bill certainly needs to be looked at again and tweaked. If we can save one life, that is a life that does not wreck a family or home and keeps a farm together.

When a life is lost on a farm, the farm tends to diminish in every way and tends not to function as a family farm. I certainly saw that at first hand a number of years ago. I happened to come upon an accident where we lost a dear friend back in 2016. I was the first on the scene. To this day, you do not recover from it - every day I get up out of bed I do not recover from it. Every time I visit the site, unfortunately, that memory will always be there. Thankfully it is something you get to live with with the family, but unfortunately we could have and maybe should have seen it coming and done something about it. Anything we can do, if it is only to save one child, that limb or whatever it is, I would welcome it. The Bill Senator Daly put forward a number of years ago and is working on needs to be looked at. I commend him on that.

Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State for being in the House. Sometimes the sign of something good is when cross-government Ministers are working together. Having both Ministers of State here this afternoon shows two Departments that take farms, farm safety and farm well-being seriously. It also shows collaboration. I thank the Minister of State for being in the House for her opening remarks. It is not often that it happens but it is important to recognise it.

We are speaking today to emphasise two interlinked but often overlooked issues facing farm community, farm safety and mental health. The stark fact is agriculture remains one of the most dangerous sectors in our economy. According to the Health and Safety Authority, over the last decade, farming accounted for approximately 38% of all workplace fatalities, despite representing only 11% of the workforce. When we look at fatalities on farms involving vehicles and machinery, the numbers are even more alarming. Nearly half of all fatalities on all farms involve tractors, vehicles or PTO shaft entanglements. This unacceptable risk demands robust action. I welcome the Government's commitment, particularly the announcement under the national farm safety measures in 2025 introduced by the Department, which provides grant aid covering 60% of the cost of up to four PTO shaft covers.

I also welcome the Minister of State's allocation in this year's budget of €3 million dedicated to farm safety, health and well-being initiatives in the agricultural sector. We all know it was a difficult budget and to secure €3 million on this particular topic is welcome. I know it was hard fought. However, this key safety on farms cannot be looked at in isolation. The mental health of our farmers is deeply important. Farming is not simply a job; it is a lifestyle and way of life often embedded in family land, in the community and in identity. The burdens are many - long hours, lone working, heavy machinery, weather, market-driven, uncertainty, environmental and regulatory pressures, succession issues and isolation. That is why it was welcome at this year's ploughing championships that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, announced the 15,000 additional counselling hours with ring-fenced funding of €2 million. Timing is everything, and doing that coming into the winter period, when the days were getting shorter, prices were whatever they were going to be and knowing when next the bills could be paid is really welcome.

These are not just statistics we talk about; they are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers and neighbours and friends, members of our rural communities, whose mental health demands urgent attention. We must do three things: raise mental health awareness and reduce stigma in the farming community; ensure mental health is treated as integral to farm safety and farm business viability; and provide accessible supports tailored to the farming context and culture. I am struck by what Senator Daly said about those 15,000 counselling hours at the kitchen table, at a time that meets the farmer at a time when they have the capacity to attend. Sometimes the first step is the hardest to get that talking going and to break down the barriers.

On awareness, I commend the On Firm Ground programme, now in its second phase, which trains advisers, vets, departmental staff and others who engage with farmers to recognise distress, to ask the right questions and to signpost supports. Evaluation shows it has significantly increased in the knowledge and wellness of advisers to support farmers' mental health issues. On treating mental health as an integral part of farm safety, I believe that every farm safety briefing, every advisory visit, every machinery inspection should incorporate a well-being check. On supports tailored to a farming context, we already have some promising leads, including farmer-specific awareness programmes, peer group resilience initiatives and supports designed for men working in a male-dominated environment.

It is welcome that the Minister, Deputy Butler, again this year has secured enough funding for 300 whole-time equivalent staff, with over €50 million allocated to crisis support and suicide prevention. In total, it is a mental health budget of almost €1.6 billion in 2026. Staff and numbers like that have an impact for our farming families. That means greater access, greater availability and, I hope, greater comfort in reaching out.In the spirit of partnership and action, let us reaffirm that no farmer should ever feel that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Let us ensure farm safety is not just about gates, crushes and PTO covers but also about the safety of the person using them. Let us make sure every adviser, vet, contractor and milker entering the farm door carries not only the checklist for machinery but also an awareness of mental well-being. Let us continue to drive evidence-based supports tailored to and delivered in farming communities at times and places that suit them.

I welcome the statements and thank the Minister of State for being here and for giving his time to this very important issue.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the Ministers of State, Deputies Healy-Rae and Butler. I thank Senator Paul Daly for suggesting this debate take place on this very important issue. Senator Brady has asked me to speak on social farming and the need for additional grants in terms of visitors coming to farms in that context. He also asked me to raise the possibility of engaging with marts about grants to improve safety for workers and farmers at our marts.

I happened to come across a remembrance mass or service during the summer. I think the Minister of State was there. Some people may give out about these things but I think religious and crossdenominational services are symbolic - they are nice, first of all - and solemn occasions. It is certainly something it was right to have. The Minister of State's attendance was right as well. I acknowledge that here today.

I ask the Minister of State how many people he has met today, how many people have said "hello Minister" or "hello Michael", and how many phone calls or text messages he has received from people who have made contact with him, and for him to compare that number with the number of people that a farmer or a bachelor someplace on the side of a hill or in a small rural parish might have come across in the course of the day. They might have met the postman - maybe not, the way things are going - or a neighbour. They might have gone to the local shop. People can be socially isolated and lonely because of where they live and because of the nature of farming as a job. There is no doubt that loneliness and social isolation can affect mental health. Community groups, the GAA and other sporting organisations, discussion groups, farm organisation meetings and even political meetings get people out of their homes to meet people in the local pub or wherever they can have a bit of craic, tell a few jokes, share a few stories and maybe have a drink. I suppose I cannot say "a few drinks" because of the way things are.

I acknowledge the work of Macra na Feirme, as a rural organisation across the country, particularly for younger farmers.

Regarding farm safety, the mobile phone is much criticised and sometimes rightly so. Unfortunately, you see people using mobile phones while driving tractors and other vehicles on the road. However, if you have an accident when you are working on your own and you are stuck, it is certainly of benefit to have a mobile phone in your pocket as long as there is mobile reception. You might be able to send a text message or whatever. I have come across such situations. I spoke to the father of a young lad who had an accident after the trailer fell off the block. He tried to put it up again and managed to get his hand stuck between the block and the trailer. He did not have a mobile phone on him; it was in the tractor. Luckily, someone came to the rescue quite quickly but that put paid to things. Thankfully, it was possible to save that person's hand. These things happen. While there is much criticism of the use of mobile phones, having a mobile phone on your person is important in these circumstances.

TAMS grants are also hugely important. I know they have been directed at safety aspects. It is a worthy form of spending of money. If something simple can save someone's life or someone's limb, it cannot be underestimated. The impact of a farmer being incapacitated could mean the end of their business. It could have a huge impact on the business and their ability to rear a family and all those things. There are supports as well with your insurance - farm organisations sometimes have insurance - and with your different liabilities to protect your income. If you cannot drive or walk, this will hugely curtail your ability to farm effectively. That has to be acknowledged as well.

Socialisation is hugely important. I think everyone has a role in respect of their neighbours. It is important to call on the people who live down the lane. Once upon a time, when there was not as much mechanisation, there was a meitheal in the community and people came together to make cocks of hay or bring in the hay, or to help with the thrashing or the bringing home of the turf. In most cases, these tasks are now mechanised. It might be different in the case of turf because there is still a need for a number of people. Although they may have contractors coming in for a period of time, farmers are mostly left to their own devices to bring in their own bales of silage, etc. Things have changed. While the phone is handy and is of benefit in contacting loved ones and neighbours, the impact of loneliness and isolation cannot be overstated. There are methods of counteracting it, however. The role of the weekly mart is important because it is a social gathering of a huge number of like-minded people who might talk about farming, politics, sport or whatever. It is an opportunity to get out and meet people and it is hugely important.

Regarding the actual dangers on farms, I have a small farm at home and I know there are always risks from animals, livestock and breeding stock, particularly at calving time. You cannot underestimate any cow or say that a certain cow is quiet. A cow who is freshly calved or near calving can be a different animal because of everything. Farmers are aware of that. There are obvious dangers associated with a bull, or with farm machinery. There are the dangers of the PTO shaft. Using a ladder may seem quite simple but falls from ladders can have a huge impact on people. Accidents from ladders can very easily happen when you are out cleaning gutters or trying to get something. I urge people to have caution, to evaluate their surroundings, to know the dangers on their farm, to know the dangers of their livestock and to know the dangers of the use of farm equipment. Having safety covers such as PTO shaft covers, in particular, is hugely beneficial for saving lives and saving limbs. I thank the Minister of State again for being here today.

Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State for being here today to discuss such an important topic. I commend him on his work on farm safety since he came into this role. This is something that affects every farm family across the country. It is vital that we raise awareness of it and that we put in place schemes to try to prevent farm accidents.

I come from a farming background in north-west Cork. I have met countless farm families whose daily lives revolve around the hard work, dedication and resilience associated with farming. Our farmers are a vital part of rural Ireland. They provide our food and take care of the land but there is often a stigma and a silence around safety and, more predominantly, around mental health and well-being. Farming is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding ways of life but it is also one of the most dangerous. Too many lives have been changed in an instant by farm accidents, moments that remind us that no job or task is worth a life or a limb.I will take a moment to mention Féile O'Sullivan, a young lady from Allihies in west Cork who suffered a life-changing injury on her farm in July. Féile's courage and determination since that day have inspired people right across Ireland. Recently we had a fundraiser for her, the sale of an animal in Macroom mart, so her story has travelled across the country. It reminds us that every statistic of an injury in terms of farm safety is a person. It affects a family. It affects a community. Féile's journey also underlines the importance of prevention when it comes to farm safety, the importance of taking a few extra seconds to think safety first every time, and when it comes to that, if we look at our older farmers as well, there is the importance of generational renewal and succession planning. Approximately 45% of farm accidents happen to those who are over 65. While we recently published the report of our own commission on generational renewal and the European Commission has published a report on generational renewal, we need to put those plans into action such that we have proper succession planning in place. Another aspect is that the average age of farmers here is 59. We have to get on top of that. We have to deal with it because somebody who is older is probably more likely to make a mistake, statistically, than a younger person. When we see this high proportion of accidents in the over-65s, it is vital that we would plan ahead and try to prevent this from happening.

Farm safety is not only about physical protection. We are also discussing the mental health element today. It is about the mind as well as the body. The pressures facing farmers today, from market uncertainty to weather extremes, climate, long hours and isolation, take a toll on people that we cannot ignore. Senator Kyne has mentioned it, but it is important to stay in touch with people, stay in touch with your community and make sure that if you are out on a job, people know where you are. Ideally, you would have a phone on you, and it is about taking an extra minute to evaluate a job before you decide to do it on your own and see whether you might be better off getting somebody to help you with it. As I said, it is an isolating job. That is why we see such rates of depression, mental illnesses and mental health issues among those in farming because it is a difficult job. People such as Peter Hynes, a dairy farmer in Cork, have been vital in highlighting this issue. He has spoken out about his own mental health journey, breaking down the stigma and showing that strength is often found in openness and that it is okay to discuss these issues. Through his advocacy, he has shown that asking for help is not a weakness but an act of courage, and it can also save lives.

We are also lucky to have the Slí Eile initiative in north Cork. It provides hope for those struggling with mental health challenges. Their community-based approach, which offers recovery, dignity and belonging, shows what can be achieved when we treat people with compassion and understanding. It is this kind of grassroots, person-centred model that deserves our continued support and investment.

Rural Ireland must never be left behind in the conversation on mental health and safety. That means ensuring access to services, promoting education from the classroom to the mart and supporting local groups, who know their communities best. We can also do more to integrate farm safety into everyday practice, from school curriculums, Teagasc training, green cert training and health checks to grant schemes that promote safer machinery and safer facilities. Every euro that is spent on prevention is a life potentially saved when it comes to farm safety.

We need to renew our commitment to make Irish farming both safer and kinder. We need to remember the courage of Féile O'Sullivan. We need to follow Peter Hynes's example in speaking up and support vital works of groups such as Slí Eile, which is building a better future for rural Ireland. No farm should cost a life and no farmer should suffer in silence. Together, through awareness, compassion and action, we can build a safer, healthier and stronger rural Ireland and safer farms.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, is most welcome to the House. I know that he fully understands the challenges when it comes to farm safety.

This year so far has outpassed last year in terms of the numbers of people who have lost their lives on Irish farms. Unfortunately, the profile of the people who have lost their lives shows that nine of them were over 65, which epitomises the age profile in farming generally. That would follow on to another conversation entirely about the inheritance system and passing on farms. Obviously, we need to do more in that space. I know the Minister of State and the Government are very much committed to that. It is not easy. It is challenging. It needs to be streamlined as much as possible, with as much encouragement as possible as well.

In 2013, I was privileged to be the convenor of a subcommittee that looked at farm safety in this country as part of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee that was established then under Seanad reform. We looked for public submissions of ideas and suggestions on what could be done. We received over 60 written submissions at the time and we brought ten of their proponents in here to the Chamber on a Monday. Some of the suggestions and ideas were outstanding. The work that was being done by Embrace Farm at the time was particularly moving in terms of what it was doing to try to raise awareness. We had a lady who had written children books in the space of farm safety to try to raise awareness among children on the basis that children, by having good knowledge, would pass on that experience and knowledge to their parents - in other words, the converse of what normally happens. There was also a proposal at that time that there would be a scrappage scheme for outdated and old farm machinery that had seen its better days, and that that would be done through the budget and through a financial measure. Back then, however, as the Minister of State will be aware as he was here at the time, the circumstances were poor in terms of resources and it was hard to get any such budgetary measure over the line.

It was also proposed that there would be a partnership with the GAA. What we suggested was that the GAA, which is a national organisation that has a club and activists in every parish and community in this country, would be encouraged to run farm safety awareness days. That suggestion came from a club in west Cork where somebody had tragically lost their life in a farm accident and the club had taken the initiative of having a farm safety day in the clubhouse where it brought in various different interested parties and had talks on farm safety, etc. It was seen as very progressive and successful. We recommended at the time that the Government would partially fund a farm safety officer to be based in Croke Park, who would roll out such a programme around the country. Following the publicity that the report got at the time, many clubs themselves ran farm safety awareness days. That could be looked at again. As a matter of fact, many of the proposals within that report are as relevant today as they were ten years ago. I would encourage the Minister of State's officials to give him the executive summary of that report and he might find something in it that would be worth pursuing.

We have all been in situations where neighbours have lost their lives through farm accidents. I can remember that at the very start of the lockdown, a 14-year-old boy lost his life. He was a neighbour of mine. It was horrific. I will 100% support the Minister of State on anything that he and his Department can do to reduce and, hopefully, eliminate deaths on Irish farms.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are a number of points that I want to highlight to the Minister of State. This is a worthwhile and important debate to have in this House.

While mental health is not only an issue that affects rural people and farmers, owing to the nature of their work they spend more time on their own than most other people would. It is important that point is recognised. In my home county of Wexford, there is a fantastic green ribbon committee, which was set up and is organised every year by a man by the name of Patrick Hipwell. I recognise the important work he has done with Wexford IFA, ICMSA and Macra na Feirme.Every year, in my hometown of Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Enniscorthy Castle is lit up in green to mark the green ribbon event. It is a very important symbol in the town because it gets people talking about why the castle is lit up in green and what that is all about. It is simply spreading awareness of people's mental health and the fact it is okay not to feel okay. Councillor Frank Staples in Wexford set up the very successful ASK campaign, which is based around the idea that it is important to ask people how they are doing. I encourage the Minister of State's Department to come down to Wexford to meet with those two groups. I am sure they would be absolutely delighted to engage with him on it. Perhaps it is something that could be rolled out right across the country. I would very much welcome engagement with the Minister of State on that.

I will highlight a second issue I have spoken about in the Chamber previously. County Wexford has approximately 175,000 people, yet it has no inpatient mental health facility and no mental health beds. If people are experiencing a mental health crisis in Wexford, they have to travel out of the county to Waterford, which is their first point of contact. It is so important, over the next number of years, that there is an undertaking and programme of work by the HSE to get us our own 24-7 mental health facility, perhaps located on the grounds of Wexford General Hospital, where there is space. That is a campaign that has been ongoing for many years now. It is something I feel very strongly about. It is important that issue is highlighted yet again.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State is very welcome. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this topic.

I will highlight a programme that has been running in Roscommon for a number of years. When I formerly sat on the local community development committee, LCDC, I remember supporting it with funding in the past. It is called the Fit Farmers programme. It was created and delivered by a lady, Laura Tully, a Roscommon native who saw at first hand the strain farming life can take on the body and mind. Anyone who grew up on a farm will know that it is a way of life. It is not a 9 to 5 job. There are long days and there is unpredictable weather and, often, working alone. Farmers are expected to be mechanics, vets, business managers and labourers all in one. Too often, their own health and safety gets pushed down the list and taken for granted. That is why Laura came up with this Fit Farmers programme. She has very successfully rolled it out and delivered it in Roscommon and it is now going further afield, which the Minister of State is fully aware of. She is now delivering the programme in Leitrim, Westmeath and some other neighbouring counties.

What is different about the programme is it goes out to meet farmers where they are and where they want to be in their own communities, in local halls and community centres, with sessions that fit around their lives. Over six weeks, farmers come together for fitness training, health checks and honest conversations about well-being, which would not be home territory for a lot of the farmers we are talking about. It is practical, local and delivered by someone who genuinely understands the pressures of rural life. In Roscommon and Leitrim alone, over 90% of participants are showing measurable improvements in health, including lower blood pressure, better fitness and improved sleep. Farmers have said they are eating better, feeling stronger and, more importantly, feeling more connected to their communities because of that engagement.

It is not just the physical side. We are talking about mental health as well and connection. That comes from getting off the farm, meeting others and realising you are not on your own. The sense of isolation that so many farmers experience has been chipped away. When a farmer feels supported and less stressed, that directly helps and improves farm safety. Fatigue, distraction and worry are among the biggest risks on farms, so by tackling well-being we are also preventing accidents. For years, we have seen health and safety campaigns on farms and we have had mental health campaigns, but this is one of the few times they have truly come together in a way that makes sense to the farming community. It is not a lecture leaflet. It is about real people helping each other to build better habits, support networks and safer farms.

I commend Laura Tully on her leadership and vision. I also acknowledge the community spirit that has made this work, from local farm groups to the Roscommon support partnership and the volunteers who helped her to bring this programme to life. It is a great example of how solutions often start locally but grow outwards when people see their value. Laura had a stand at the ploughing championships this year. We talked about the community in Garranlahan in terms of the recent fires. A number of the farmers there benefited from this programme, so much so that a lot more people in those communities are looking for more of these programmes to be rolled out. I hope the Minister of State takes the example led by Laura Tully with the Fit Farmers programme and looks at rolling it out and spreading the good news and good story we have in the west of Ireland to the rest of the country.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome guests of our Government Chief Whip, Senator Garret Ahearn. They are Liam Ahearn, Garret's dad and a former councillor and cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council; Marie Keating, the former principal of Grange National School; and former members of Grange National School board of management. They are all very welcome. I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I also welcome the visitors in the Gallery. I very sincerely thank Senator Paul Daly for initiating this debate today. I thank all the Senators for their very valuable, sensible and sound contributions. I also acknowledge that I am accompanied by Mr. John Canny, who is an inspector with the Department and is in charge of the farm safety division.

A debate like this in the Seanad is very important because farm deaths are something that affect everybody. I took very great notice of people explaining situations they had to go through themselves. In keeping with that, and with the Leas-Chathaoirleach's permission, because it is my first time speaking publicly since Saturday either in the Seanad or the Dáil, I will talk about a very close friend of mine, a great man by the name of Mr. Pat Morris from Glenvickee in Glencar. He was out doing his day's work on Saturday at a farm building and an event happened, unfortunately. He was 63 years of age and a fine, strong, hard-working, respectable man from Glencar. I always said nobody bad, not a woman or a man, ever came out of Glencar. They were all good. Unfortunately, Pat Morris lost his life on Saturday morning. That is keeping with the theme of what we are talking about. I am sure every one of the visitors in the Gallery and everybody have been affected by issues that have happened. We hear about the deaths and there are also thousands and thousands of injuries.

As Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety, I thank the Seanad, particularly Senator Daly, for their great work in addressing the critical issues of mental health and farm safety. I thank and acknowledge the contribution the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, has made already in her role of supporting mental health. Everybody across all political divides knows she is deeply committed to her job and her Ministry. She is now, has been in the past and will always be, because that is a special and important thing she is very good at.

Farming accounts for almost half of all workplace fatalities this year. That is completely wrong. It should not be happening. Tragically, there have 17 confirmed farm fatalities this year, which is the highest number since 2020. I extend my sympathies to the families and communities impacted by these devastating losses. In addition, based on available information from national farm safety, there are approximately 4,500 non-fatal incidents each year on Irish farms, some of which result in life-changing injuries. One of these was described earlier with regard to the young girl who was working diligently on a family farm, picking stones with a family relative. Unfortunately, there was an incident with a tractor and she is now struggling and doing her best to recover here in Dublin. She will be here for a long time trying to get over her life-changing injuries.

Farmers also experience a disproportionate burden of health problems related to cardiovascular diseases, cancer and mental health. I also acknowledge Embrace FARM for the great work it does.I will not say I had the pleasure, but I had the education of going to the remembrance mass in Leixlip earlier. It was a profound event. I had never been there before. I saw pictures of all the people who had lost their lives on farms. In particular, I saw the children. They were young children and teenagers. I was early for mass, and I was on my knees looking at their pictures. I was thinking of their lovely little faces and their whole lives in front of them. They lost their lives on our family farms. I was thinking of their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and of the impact and devastation their deaths will have had. That will go on for generations because such an event happened on a farm. As politicians, Senators, TDs and all elected people, there is a massive onus of responsibility for us to try to do everything we can to help with this important matter.

International research establishes clear associations between the physical and mental health status of farmers and increased propensity for farm injuries. Poor health increases injury risks while injuries worsen both physical and mental health creating a concerning cyclical pattern. Research has revealed particularly high rates of burnout and sleep issues among Irish farmers. It is concerning that despite facing significant mental health stressors, the availability of mental health services and help seeking is not common among farmers. They are not inclined to put out their hand and say they need help and somebody to talk to. Studies have shown that a significant number of farmers are unaware of the signs of poor mental health and subsequently may not realise they need help. The whole area of farm safety, health and well-being and the linkages between them is highlighted in the programme for Government, which places a clear emphasis on farm safety and mental health. It is a priority for me and my colleagues, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Grealish and Dooley. I am delighted to have secured increased funding of €3 million for farm safety, health and well-being initiatives in budget 2026. There is good collaboration between the Department and other agencies, not only in relation to farm safety, but also in relation to farmer health and well-being. Earlier this year the Department collaborated with the Department of Health, the HSE and the Health and Safety Authority to ensure that our open call for projects for farm safety, health and well-being projects targeted the critical areas that impact on farmers and the wider farming community.

Speaking about the open call, this year I allocated €1.68 million for 40 projects, over half of which include a focus on farmers' mental health and well-being. A key strength of many of these initiatives is their effort to engage with farmers who are hard to reach by providing resources and services in places where farmers meet, such as marts. I welcome the Department of Health's initiatives which provide free supports for men experiencing poor mental health. They complement initiatives funded by the Department such as On Feirm Ground 2, a programme that the Department co-funds with the Department of Health and the Health and Safety Authority. They also complement projects funded under our open call for farm safety, health and well-being projects such as health check projects delivered by the Irish Farmers Association, Croí and the Irish Heart Foundation.

The Department continues to support investment in farm safety through the CAP strategic plan. The TAMS 3 farm safety capital investment scheme provides grant aid at a higher rate of 60% for a wide range of farm safety-related investments. All TAMS applicants are required to complete a half-day of farm safety training. Farmer health and safety training is also included in a range of Department schemes, such as the suckler carbon efficiency programme, the ACRES training scheme and the knowledge transfer programme. Safety is part of everything a farmer does. I want to ensure it is part of all schemes for farmers across the Department. The accelerated capital allowances scheme, which is expanded in budget 2025, covers a range of eligible farm safety equipment and adaptive equipment for farmers with disabilities. The additional farm safety measures and investments are eligible for TAMS and the accelerated capital allowances.

Earlier this year, the Department partnered with the HSA to deliver targeted media campaigns focusing on livestock safety and farmer fatigue. In addition, the HSA's guidance on managing fatigue with farm work was included in the 2025 BISS packs distributed to over 125,000 farmers. The Department continues to fund research into farm safety, health and well-being so we gain a better understanding of the issues facing Irish farmers and ensure that initiatives are led by evidence and are effective on the ground.

We heard from our discussions how critical farm safety and mental health is, the linkages between them and the impact that farm safety incidents and poor mental health can have on farm families. As the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, mentioned in her opening statement, the programme for Government prioritises farm safety, health and well-being with a specific focus on farmer mental health and well-being. Recognising the unique challenges faced by the sector I assure the House that I will continue to work closely with ministerial colleagues to prioritise improvements in farm safety, health and well-being through strengthened supports and initiatives where possible.

I also highlight one basic thing that has happened over the past number of years. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, and thank him for the excellent work he is doing in his Department. It has a lot of people out doing good work every day, who are critically aware because they are well trained and experienced in how to do jobs properly and safely. I know that farm safety and safety at work is an important issue for the Minister of State. I welcome his guests.

I make the important point that a short number of years ago, working on building sites in Ireland was dangerous. There was a great likelihood that you would finish up seriously injured or injured in a small way. There was even a strong possibility of dying at work. That has all changed. Why is that? I make a confession about this as a person who worked in building sites for all of my years. Up to this day we are working on building sites. I do not deny that when it became strict we were not best pleased because, to be honest, we classified it as a nuisance to have beepers on dumpers and reversing cameras on diggers, to have to wear helmets and to ensure that you were wearing steel toe-caps at all times. There were safety at height protocols. I will not say we resisted it, but we were not embracing it. Why did we change? We changed because we had to. If we did not and we had a couple of misdemeanours because we were caught doing something we should not have been doing, it was no bother in the world; we were told that the gate was over there and we were quite welcome to leave and take our machinery with us. We were not long copping on because we were made to cop on. I have said before in open forums that we might have been critical at the time of a heap of people like the HSA. We are so grateful to them now, but we might have been cursing them at the time. They were doing an important job because they changed our mindsets and made us become more safety conscious.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach will be interested to know that when men are now going to work in the morning, before they go into a building site or onto a road one of the most common things they do in the van early in the morning is take out the computer. They are all tuned into the computer, and they do safety checks, tick boxes and make sure their work plan is recorded for the day, regardless of whether their employer is a local authority, a large contractor, a subcontractor or whoever. They are logging in on that in the morning, and you can be sure that they would not go without their safety pins and reversing cameras and everything right. That is part of it. That is part of their day. The point I am making is that building sites, construction and working on the roads are safe places to be now because we were made to change. What we should be trying to do with farming is to make it in such a way that we could get this into our farmers' heads.It is not easy, because it takes cultural changes. It is like when you are using your chainsaw and you wear your chainsaw pants and chainsaw gloves and give yourself the best chance. If there is some job to be done up high and if you are like all of us and are getting a little bit older and your head is not as good for heights as it used to be, you should not be shy about saying you are going to get someone younger to do that. If there is a tree to be knocked in an awkward place, you might spend a few pounds and get the proper man to do that job because he is younger and livelier than you and he might have a better judgment of how to knock it. We have to try to make people see beyond the job. The job, of course, is important and doing the work on the farm is important but the most important thing of all is that you do not get hurt doing it, you do not hurt anyone else and you will get to go home that night and sleep in your own bed and not be in a coffin, a morgue or a hospital. It is as blunt and as hard as that. We have to get that message across because when you look beyond, say, the 17 fatalities this year so far – that is frightening; it is an awful number of people affected so horribly and adversely – and think about the 4,500 people who survived. That tells us farming and farm activities are not safe. We are not safety conscious enough and we have to really up our game.

I take this opportunity to welcome a famous farmer to the Seanad, the great Deputy William Aird, who everyone in all the Houses of the Oireachtas is fond of. He is a man who knows an awful lot about farm safety because he has been farming all his life.

We really have to try to keep the conversation going around farm safety. That is why I am so grateful to Senator Daly for organising this today. We all need to keep chipping away at it and keep the money going into it. It is not that it needs a fortune to be spent on it, but we have to spend enough so that we are able to back up groups like the IFA and others that will go out on the ground and do health and well-being checks at marts and all that sort of thing. We also need to have money there for the initiatives such as the TAMS and safety measures on farms and cattle handling facilities. If a person needs to put a bit of investment into their farm yard and if it will be of any help with them doing their job more safely, we should be able to fund that.

The use of quads is of great concern. I met a man recently who told me the three most important things in his life were his wife, his quad and his dog. He said he would not manage without any of them. He was a lovely man and he was so serious and so nice about it. We were talking about an incident that had happened on a quad and he said those were his three things and that if he did not have one of them, he would not manage. However, the quads are dangerous. They are such an amazingly useful thing but predominantly, when you are away on a quad, you are far from home because you have probably gone up the side of a hill, you are on your own, you may or may not have telephone coverage and they are dangerous. If you saw a tractor tomorrow going along the road with no cab on it, you would stand and look at it because it would look very odd and it would stick in your head for the day that you had seen a tractor without a cab, but we take no notice of seeing quads with no attempt at all of a rollover bar. It amazes me. I met people at the ploughing championships who now have a method of installing a very imaginative type of roll-bar that comes out when the quad is starting to tilt. It is not out full all the time but it comes out if the quad starts to go over. We really have to start looking at measures like that. We should be encouraging initiatives like that. We should be encouraging it from the manufacturer stage first, but obviously an awful lot of quads are out there without these now. If we could encourage farmers through funding or whatever to have an implement like that on their quads, it could save a person from being trapped under it. A quad is a very heavy type of thing if it is up on top of you and if you are in a bad corner. The number of injuries is frightening.

I have probably gone on too long. I apologise, but this issue is so important and I am so grateful to everyone for allowing the opportunity and for the two Ministers of State to come here today and have our say on it. If there is any way we can co-operate or work with the Senators in the future we will be very glad to do so.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State. I welcome Deputy Aird and his guest to the Gallery. I know the Minister of State welcomed them. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Healy-Rae, as ucht teacht isteach sa Teach inniu agus páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht.