Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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303. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of funds allocated by the Health and Safety Authority for farm safety initiatives in 2016 and to date in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7926/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Health and Safety Authority that the budgets for various sectoral activities for 2017 is currently being finalised. However, the HSA has assured me that the budget for farm safety initiatives will, at a minimum, be maintained at the same level as that for 2016. The Authority has also indicated that in light of the continuing high level of fatalities in the farming sector further funding, if required, can be provided for farm safety initiatives in 2017 once the overall budget is finalised.

In 2016 there were 21 fatalities on Irish farms with 1 recorded fatality so far in 2017. As agriculture continues to be the highest sector for workplace fatalities farm safety remains a very high priority for the HSA and this is reflected in the level of resources being assigned by the HSA to that sector. I also recently met with my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to discuss the issue and to explore how our Departments and the HSA can work closer together to improve this situation in relation to farm safety.

HSA Expenditure on Farm Safety Initiatives 2016 and 2017