Safety levels on Irish farms must be improved urgently with four children losing their lives in accidents each year, it was warned today.
Fine Gael's agriculture spokesman, Denis Naughten, said the high death rate showed the farm safety message had not hit home.
"In the last eight years, 133 people have died on farms, 36 of whom were children," Mr Naughten said. "Hundreds of other children over the same period have to live with painful and sometimes permanent reminders of just how dangerous a farm can be."
The Longford-Roscommon TD warned the loss of life on family farms could not be tolerated. Mr Naughten said an increased focus on awareness and safety campaigns was clearly needed.
"Every year at least 20 more farm families have to face their worst nightmare when a loved one is killed or injured on their farm," he said.
"The main message that must get across is that all Irish farms are workplaces, with a high degree of risk, and as such all farms must reach the same high safety standards required of all other workplaces."
The TD called for new efforts to properly communicate the safety message to farms and ensure the procedures are carried out on the ground.