Safety issue raised at Family Farm conference

The disproportionate levels of accidents, “too many of them lethal”, that occur on Irish farms was highlighted by President Michael D Higgins in his keynote address to an IFA and Teagasc-organised International Year of Family Farming conference in Dublin yesterday.

President Higgins, who noted the sector is working on addressing this grave issue, said children and older people appear to be particularly vulnerable to farm accidents.

The importance of fostering children’s interests in farming, while making sure they are not exposed to risk, is a concern for many farming parents, he said.

President Higgins said the first National Farm Safety Awareness Day, organised by the IFA and the Health and Safety Authority in July of this year, was an important step towards the resolution of this tragic state of affairs.

“I most sincerely hope that we will soon see the day when farming will no longer be one of the most dangerous occupations in our country,” he said.

Minister of State Tom Hayes said the statistics on farm-related accidents and deaths continue to show that farms are the most dangerous workplaces.