Farmer Mental Health and Farm Safety: Statements Seanad Éireann — 2025-11-12 ============================================================ Seán Kyne (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel I welcome the Ministers of State, Deputies Healy-Rae and Butler. I thank Senator Paul Daly for suggesting this debate take place on this very important issue. Senator Brady has asked me to speak on social farming and the need for additional grants in terms of visitors coming to farms in that context. He also asked me to raise the possibility of engaging with marts about grants to improve safety for workers and farmers at our marts. I happened to come across a remembrance mass or service during the summer. I think the Minister of State was there. Some people may give out about these things but I think religious and crossdenominational services are symbolic - they are nice, first of all - and solemn occasions. It is certainly something it was right to have. The Minister of State's attendance was right as well. I acknowledge that here today. I ask the Minister of State how many people he has met today, how many people have said "hello Minister" or "hello Michael", and how many phone calls or text messages he has received from people who have made contact with him, and for him to compare that number with the number of people that a farmer or a bachelor someplace on the side of a hill or in a small rural parish might have come across in the course of the day. They might have met the postman - maybe not, the way things are going - or a neighbour. They might have gone to the local shop. People can be socially isolated and lonely because of where they live and because of the nature of farming as a job. There is no doubt that loneliness and social isolation can affect mental health. Community groups, the GAA and other sporting organisations, discussion groups, farm organisation meetings and even political meetings get people out of their homes to meet people in the local pub or wherever they can have a bit of craic, tell a few jokes, share a few stories and maybe have a drink. I suppose I cannot say "a few drinks" because of the way things are. I acknowledge the work of Macra na Feirme, as a rural organisation across the country, particularly for younger farmers. Regarding farm safety, the mobile phone is much criticised and sometimes rightly so. Unfortunately, you see people using mobile phones while driving tractors and other vehicles on the road. However, if you have an accident when you are working on your own and you are stuck, it is certainly of benefit to have a mobile phone in your pocket as long as there is mobile reception. You might be able to send a text message or whatever. I have come across such situations. I spoke to the father of a young lad who had an accident after the trailer fell off the block. He tried to put it up again and managed to get his hand stuck between the block and the trailer. He did not have a mobile phone on him; it was in the tractor. Luckily, someone came to the rescue quite quickly but that put paid to things. Thankfully, it was possible to save that person's hand. These things happen. While there is much criticism of the use of mobile phones, having a mobile phone on your person is important in these circumstances. TAMS grants are also hugely important. I know they have been directed at safety aspects. It is a worthy form of spending of money. If something simple can save someone's life or someone's limb, it cannot be underestimated. The impact of a farmer being incapacitated could mean the end of their business. It could have a huge impact on the business and their ability to rear a family and all those things. There are supports as well with your insurance - farm organisations sometimes have insurance - and with your different liabilities to protect your income. If you cannot drive or walk, this will hugely curtail your ability to farm effectively. That has to be acknowledged as well. Socialisation is hugely important. I think everyone has a role in respect of their neighbours. It is important to call on the people who live down the lane. Once upon a time, when there was not as much mechanisation, there was a meitheal in the community and people came together to make cocks of hay or bring in the hay, or to help with the thrashing or the bringing home of the turf. In most cases, these tasks are now mechanised. It might be different in the case of turf because there is still a need for a number of people. Although they may have contractors coming in for a period of time, farmers are mostly left to their own devices to bring in their own bales of silage, etc. Things have changed. While the phone is handy and is of benefit in contacting loved ones and neighbours, the impact of loneliness and isolation cannot be overstated. There are methods of counteracting it, however. The role of the weekly mart is important because it is a social gathering of a huge number of like-minded people who might talk about farming, politics, sport or whatever. It is an opportunity to get out and meet people and it is hugely important. Regarding the actual dangers on farms, I have a small farm at home and I know there are always risks from animals, livestock and breeding stock, particularly at calving time. You cannot underestimate any cow or say that a certain cow is quiet. A cow who is freshly calved or near calving can be a different animal because of everything. Farmers are aware of that. There are obvious dangers associated with a bull, or with farm machinery. There are the dangers of the PTO shaft. Using a ladder may seem quite simple but falls from ladders can have a huge impact on people. Accidents from ladders can very easily happen when you are out cleaning gutters or trying to get something. I urge people to have caution, to evaluate their surroundings, to know the dangers on their farm, to know the dangers of their livestock and to know the dangers of the use of farm equipment. Having safety covers such as PTO shaft covers, in particular, is hugely beneficial for saving lives and saving limbs. I thank the Minister of State again for being here today. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-11-12/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:18+00:00 Sitting date: 2025-11-12