Minister of State Martin Heydon is looking for farmer-led farm safety proposals. Up to four projects targeting farm safety, health and wellbeing measures will be selected. The initiative is being run under the auspices of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP), with €1m set aside.

“I want to hear your ideas for projects that could be scaled up and make a real difference, potentially saving lives in the future,” said Heydon, the first minister to have farm safety as a specific portfolio. “I look forward to working with the applicants.”

The EIP has already funded a number of well-regarded locally led agri-environmental schemes, such as the Burren and Hen Harrier Programmes.

Applications are invited from “operational groups” involving farmers, advisers, researchers, NGOs and other interested parties to trial the proposals they develop themselves.