New National Farm Safety Initiative Launched

Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, has launched a new National Farm Safety initiative, in an effort to tackle increasing farm deaths in Ireland.

To date twenty people have died in farm related accidents this year, compared to sixteen for the whole of 2013.

Welcoming the initiative, Fine Gael Senator for Carlow/Kilkenny and Member of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Pat O’Neill said: "The launch of the New National Farm Safety Initiative comes in a year where we have so far seen twenty farm fatalities compared to sixteen in the whole of 2013.

"Farming is, according to the Health Safety Authority (HSA), the most dangerous occupation in the country at the minute, and unfortunately this year’s statistics are most definitely backing up that up.

"Safety procedures have been in place on farms across the country for many years but I am pleased to see that a renewed emphasis has been put on safety as it is clear that action is needed.

"Farming is a part of family life and we don’t want this to change but we need to ensure that farmers, young and old, are informed about farm safety and most importantly we must prevent further tragedies.

"The agri-food sector is central to the Irish economy and due to the extremely high quality of produce coming from Ireland, further growth is expected in the coming years. As the saying goes, complacency is the enemy of success and when it comes to farm safety there is no room for complacency. No matter how experienced you are, no matter how well you know the farm, the machinery or the animals, safety must be to the forefront. This is for the good of farming families and for the sector.

"I would encourage everyone in the farming community to familiarise themselves with safe farming practices and to learn more about the National Farm Safety Initiative."

(MH/CD)