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Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed discussed farm safety at an event in Innishannon, Co Cork on Friday.
“A lot of people would say my department should have inspections or penalties, that’s not off the table, but it’s the last thing I want to do. It really is a sad state of affairs if we have to encourage people to save their own lives,” Minister Creed said.
He reminded farmers in attendance that there will sometimes be a need to employ extra labour on farm. The minister observed that there is an impression that farmers have do everything themselves and said that this needed to change.
CAP and Brexit
The event also included a briefing on other issues such as Brexit, CAP and climate change.
On Brexit, Minister Creed said that the next phase of negotiations will be as difficult and challenging as the first phase. “It is difficult to plan for the next CAP until we know the full outcome of Brexit,” he added.
While funding of CAP depends on how Brexit pans out, there are more solid soundings on where the focus of the next CAP reform is likely to go.
“The next CAP will not just be about spending money but quantifying what the outcomes are and are they delivering the public goods we want, such as biodiversity and water quality. That focus on outcome is going to be the real challenge,” Minister Creed said.
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