Written answers

Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Farm Safety

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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67. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions his Department is taking to highlight the importance of farm safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33518/20]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has and continues to undertake a wide range of programmes to highlight the importance of farm safety. My Ministerial colleague, Minister Heydon has been assigned specific responsibilty for farm safety in his portfolio.

As part of the package of new farm safety measures in Budget 2021, €1m in funding has been provided to support ‘locally-led’ farm safety initiatives. It is intended that a call under the locally led Innovation Partnership model (EIP’s) specifically related to farm safety will be issued by early 2021.

DAFM, in conjunction with the HSA funded a television, radio and print media farm safety campaign in September of this year focused on reminding farmers not to be complacent around machinery.

Significant investment has been made in both specific farm safety items under the TAMS II schemes, as well as investment in the construction of new buildings, and the mandatory requirement to have completed a minimum of a ½ days farm safety course within the last five years. Additionally, ‘Health and Safety’ guidelines are included in all ‘Building Specifications,’ drawn up by my Department for the construction of agricultural buildings and structures. In addition a Farm Safety leaflet is included with the Single / Basic Payment application packs, distributed annually to over 130,000 farmers.

Through the Research Stimulus Fund my Department is funding a farm safety research project entitled: “BESAFE - Behaviours for Safer Farming: The health and safety of farmers is a significant challenge for the social sustainability of Irish agriculture”. The aim of the BeSafe project is to develop and support the adoption of tailored approaches to improve farm safety thereby effecting positive lasting change.

With the on-going level of fatal accidents involving farm machinery, my Department in conjunction with the Health and Safety Authority and the Irish Farmers Journal have jointly developed an on-line Tractor Safety Awareness Training course which was launched by Minister Heydon in September of this year.

This Department is also an active member of the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee and is in regular contact with the HSA. This committee looks at how to promote and develop farm safety. Additionally, my Department is actively involved in the North South Farm Safety Group which formed in 2015. The purpose of the group is to seek ways in which the respective authorities can work together to enhance the work currently undertaken in each jurisdiction on Farm Safety.

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