Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the public awareness initiatives that are being undertaken by his Department to promote on farm safety and prevent farm accidents or fatalities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26069/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national body in Ireland with the responsibility for the promotion and enforcement of workplace safety and health. I fully support the efforts made by the HSA to promote farm safety and health and to prevent farm accidents and fatalities.

My Department is represented on the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee and in December 2008 the HSA, in conjunction with this Committee, launched the Farm Safety Action Plan 2009 to 2012. This Plan sets out specific Goals and Actions to promote safety and health in agriculture.

Since the launch of the Farm Safety Action Plan my Department has:

Included a link on the homepage of our website to the 'Farm Safety Section' of the Health and Safety Authorities website.

Ensured that the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) training courses will continue to address farm safety and health issues as they arise under particular REPS measures.

I also promote, where appropriate, safety and health in my speeches, for example, in the address given on my behalf at the opening of the 2009 Farm Machinery Show I included a message on the dangers of working with machinery and appealed to farmers to complete their farm Safety Statements or Risk Assessment.

Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Development Authority, and the HSA in association with the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee held four 'Farm Fatality Prevention Seminars' in the Spring of 2009. These Seminars were held in Counties with a high on-farm fatality rate, i.e. Cork, Tipperary, Westmeath and Cavan, to highlight and to seek solutions to the farm safety problem with the farming community in these areas.