A suggestion that insurance companies review regulations that permit children of 14 to drive tractors on farms was made yesterday as it emerged that five children have died on farms since January.
That is only one fewer than the total for last year when 27 people died on Irish farms, including six children. This year there have been a total of 14 farm deaths.
Mr Christy Doherty, president of the Agricultural Science Association, said the figures were alarming. Presenting the ASA Farm Family Awards in the EU offices in Dublin, he said that despite numerous awareness campaigns farm families were ignoring the safety message.
He said the winners of the competition, Vincent and Mary Gorman of Athy, Co Kildare, were a shining example of a family striving to comply with the Health and Safety Regulations.
They had closed slurry pits; placed protective guards on all farm machinery; children were not allowed access to dangerous machinery; and all farm appliances were of an exceptionally high standard.
He said farm safety was one of the criteria of the awards and a third of the marks were allocated to safety issues.
Mr Matthew Dempsey, editor of the Irish Farmers' Journal, one of the sponsors of the event, said that there was much concern in the industry about the loss of young lives on farms.
"Perhaps the time has come for the insurance companies to look at the regulations which allow children of 14 years to be covered to use farm machinery," he said.
The Gormans, who have three children, operate a dairy and tourism enterprise at their 120acre farm. The other regional winners were the Cassidy family, from Linsageer, Co Cavan; the Cunningham family from Kilrush, Co Clare; and the Duignan family, from Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.