Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

244. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagements that he has had with an organisation (details supplied) and the Farm Safe School Programme concerning efforts to better support and promote the importance of farm safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26848/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Moynihan for asking this question on such an important topic.

Over the past 10 years, 22 children have died on Irish farms. In order to reduce the rate of fatal and serious accidents and to instil the message of farm safety into children from a young age, Agri Aware, AgriKids and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), supported by my Department, teamed up to bring the Farm Safe Schools programme to Irish classrooms in spring 2022 for the second year running.

This collaborative, programme aims to engage, educate and empower Irish children to become farm safety ambassadors and in doing so help create a safer, brighter future on Irish farms by assisting teachers in educating their students about the potential dangers associated with farming and agriculture.

My Department has fully sponsored the programme for the current school year. My Ministerial colleague Martin Heydon with special responsibility for Farm Safety is very supportive of this initiative and was actively involved in supporting this year’s programme. Minister Heydon recorded a message of support for the Farm Safe Schools website along with three short videos introducing each module of the programme.

This year over 452 primary schools and 19,500 pupils are taking part in the programme. The winners of the 2022 Farm Safe School competition will be announced in the coming weeks, and similar to last year, Minister Heydon will be attending the awards ceremony to present the prizes.