Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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302. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding EU grants for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1078/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the Commissioner’s recent statement on this issue. Both my Department and I are very strongly committed to promoting Farm Safety in collaboration with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), the organisation with primary responsibility for securing health and safety at work. Farm safety is one of the most critical issues facing farming today. Statistics show that accidents on farms cause more workplace deaths than all other occupations combined. There were 30 people killed in farm accidents in 2014, which is the greatest number of fatal accidents since 1992. This was over half of all the workplace deaths in Ireland, making farming the most dangerous occupation in the country. It is also clear that the most vulnerable people to have accidents and injury in the farming sector are the old and the young, with 5 people under 18 having died in farm accidents and a further 10 who were over 65.

My Department has taken a number of steps over the last 12 months and over recent years in tandem with some of the other State and industry organisations to raise awareness of the problem and educate farmers and their families on the dangers of working in this industry.

Most recently, I launched a new Farm Safety Scheme for the grant-aiding of items relating to farm safety. I have committed funding of €12.2 million to the scheme which covers items such as animal handling facilities, safety agitation points for slurry tanks and safety cages under translucent roof sheets, to name but a few of the items being supported. This scheme will see a significant investment in farm safety on farms in the coming months.

Research has shown that there is a high level of awareness amongst farmers of health and safety issues and that a focus should now be placed on changing behaviours.

My focus at present is to encourage changes in farmers’ behaviour through positive supports and further education. It is important that we all support a change in approach to safety on our farms.