6,300 Farm Safety Scheme applications received by the Department of Agriculture

A total of 6,299 applications were received by the Department of Agriculture under the Farm Safety Scheme, which was introduced in October with a €12.2m budget.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney told Galway West TD Sean Kyne in reply to a Dáil question last week that 4,618 applications had been approved, with an average of four items per approval.

The most common items approved to date are head-scoops to prevent cattle from moving their heads while in a crush, and yard lights. These two items are included in 46% and 43% of approvals.