Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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105. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made at training farm advisers to help signpost farmers to mental health supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6792/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you Deputy for addressing this very important topic.

My Department has co-funded, with the HSE and the Department of Health, a farmers physical and mental health awareness programme: called ‘On Feirm Ground’.

The programme developed a 'Train the Trainer' programme that is currently being delivered nationally to those employed as farmer advisors. It is providing training for agricultural advisors to engage with and signpost farmers to supports in relation to health and wellbeing. To date 128 agricultural advisers have been trained and a further 105 are registered to attend a further seven training courses this February.

Further training of agricultural advisors is planned for June of this year.

Farming is a wonderful and exciting profession and I want to ensure that all supports are in place to help farmers with all aspects of physical and mental health.