Minister pleads for safety on farms as deaths soar

NINETEEN people were killed on farms across the country last year in what a minister has called an ‘unacceptably high’ level of deaths.

Those who died included three children, and nine farmers over the age of 65.

It comes as more than 200 people suffered fatal injuries in farms in the past decade.

Deaths and injuries on farms across Ireland last year were described as unacceptably high by the minister responsible for farm safety, Martin Heydon.

He wished farmers a safe new year yesterday and urged them to take care at work.

‘Farming accounts for nearly 50% of all workplace fatal incidents, despite accounting for only 6% of the workforce,’ he said.

‘That’s why today I am appealing to everyone, as they wish farmers a happy New Year, to also take the time to ask them to be safe on their farm in 2021.’

The Fine Gael TD – the first minister to be given specific responsibility for farm safety – said 214 farmers died on farms between 2010 and 2019, and he committed to permanently lowering the number of injuries and deaths. Mr Heydon said safety would be at the heart of his programme for farms; this year, 50,000 farmers will receive safety training. Mr Heydon added: ‘2021 needs to be the year when farmers put their own safety first; we cannot continue to see the level of fatalities we have seen in recent years.

‘I plan to deliver the initiatives that can make a difference to safety on our farms.

‘I wish farmers around the country a happy and safe New Year.’