Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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284. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a farm safety scheme will be introduced with increased funding for health and safety equipment under TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27617/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Farm safety remains a top priority for me, my Department and the Government and my colleague Minister of State Martin Heydon has been given direct responsibility for this area in my Department.

The indicative allocation for the TAMS II scheme over the course of the Rural Development Programme is €395 million. To date, €243 million has been paid across all the available schemes and we estimate that we have committed an additional €130m to scheme participants which they have yet to draw down.

However there are a wide range of Farm Safety related investments which are grant-aided under the suite of seven TAMS measures. These are included under the - Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme, Organic Capital Investment Scheme, Tillage Capital Investment Scheme and the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme. Grant aid of approximately €5.5m has been incurred on specific Farm safety investments in TAMS II since the scheme opened in 2015.

In addition ‘Health and Safety’ guidelines are included in all ‘Building Specifications,’ drawn up by the Department for the construction of agricultural buildings and structures.  The guidelines give advice on best practice and legislation. All animal housing and slurry storage facilities constructed under TAMS II include a range of health and safety related elements that create a safer working environment on farms. Approximately €54 million has been spent on animal housing under the Animal Welfare Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme since 2016 under TAMS II.  

 It is also a requirement that all farmers applying for grant-aid under the TAMS II schemes have completed a minimum of a half-day course on farm safety before they can draw down funding.  This course has now been completed in over 16,000 applications for payment under TAMS II.