Farm safety investment scheme opens for applications

All farmers are being urged to consider this funding for "practical investments to make their farms safer", Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety Martin Heydon has said.

The Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme under the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) is now open for applications. 

This is the first time that farm safety investments have their own standalone scheme under TAMS and have been enhanced with a higher grant rate of 60% up to the applicable maximum investment ceiling of €90,000 per holding.

There is a wide range of items available under the scheme including fixed and mobile handling facilities for cattle, sheep, and horses; replacements for agitation points or older slats; safety cages for roofs; upgrades to electric wiring; yard lights; and livestock monitors, among others.

Practical investments

All farmers are being urged to consider this funding for "practical investments to make their farms safer", Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety Martin Heydon has said.

"The increase in grant aid for farm safety-related investments to an enhanced higher rate of 60% makes it much more feasible for farmers to make changes to their farm that protects them, their family, and visitors to the farm," according to Mr Heydon.

This significant grant rate will make it much more attractive to upgrade the likes of animal handling facilities on farms. 

"Incidents with animals account for the greatest number of non-fatal incidents occurring on farms and proper handling facilities such as cattle crushes, or calving pens can help prevent these incidents from occurring," he said.

Mr Heydon said this funding will support the drive to "achieve a cultural change" around safety on farms.

"Farms are working environments and we must continue to work together to make them safer," he said.  

"Reductions in the rate of fatal and serious non-fatal incidents on farms will happen only by changing behaviours driven by increasing awareness, training, and investment in farm safety."

Critical issue

Farm safety continues to be one of the most critical issues which needs to be addressed on farms, the Department of Agriculture said. 

In terms of workplace fatalities, it is the most dangerous occupation in Ireland with an average of 19 fatal incidents per year on farms over the past decade. 

Fatalities on farms account for over 40% of all fatal workplace incidents in Ireland, while farmers only account for 6% of the workforce.

There are around 4,500 non-fatal injuries annually on farms.