The farm safety report, which was carried out by the Seanad’s public consultation committee, highlights a number of aspects which should be addressed in helping to lower the number of farm fatalities and serious accidents. It also offers advice on how legislation can help victims' families.

The report states that “administrative and legal difficulties may arise for farming families following a farm fatality” and that “families could access the farm bank account following a fatality in order to allow the farm business to continue to operate and to provide for the bereaved spouse and children”.

The Seanad committee received submissions from a number of bodies including the IFA, the ICMSA, and the ICSA as well as EMBRACE farm group. EMBRACE was established to help families deal with the farm bereavements.

This proposal was put forward by the EMBRACE organisation who also said that banks should provide “mortgage and life assurance cover… with no opt-out facility”. Families have previously expressed difficulties with getting access the bank accounts of family members who have died following a farm death.

The report also states that that "education holds the key to raising standards of farm safety" and that "incentivised participation in health and safety courses" should be considered.

The report comes following two recent deaths on Irish farms. On Saturday, an toddler died at an equestrian centre in Cork after a divider on a horse box fell on him. On Monday, a death involving a woman in Monaghan was reported to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). The woman had been killed by a cow the previous Tuesday but the accident was only reported this week.

The woman, who was from the Clontibret area of Monaghan, is understood to have been attacked by a cow shortly after the animal had calved. A total of 30 people died on Irish farms in 2014 following accidents.