‘You’re better off not doing the job. You’re better off going into your own house at night rather than the hospital, or not at all’.
BY EMMA CONNOLLY AND MARIAN ROCHE
These were the words from Deputy Michael Healy-Rae earlier this week on the topic of farm safety, as Health and Safety Authority figures show that so far in 2025, there have been six farm fatalities.
His comments come as West Cork’s Doctor Jason van der Velde completed his 121 km run along the Beara Way, giving workshops and practical advice to those living in rural areas on what to do in an emergency.
Speaking with The Southern Star earlier this week Deputy Healy-Rae, Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety, said that he was personally taken aback by the figures when he joined the department.
‘The number of injuries, and of life-changing injuries, is frightening. Farm safety is my responsibility, and a thing I take very seriously. [I was shocked] when I looked at the figures closely, and the amount of them all along the length and breadth of the county, and of avoidable accidents’.
From 2015 to 2024 there were 171 deaths related to farming, not including those in forestry work and logging, or fishing, compared to the next-most dangerous industry, construction, which recorded 92 fatalities in the same time period.
23 of these 171 deaths took place in Cork.
Tractor and machinery use accounted for almost half of all farm-related deaths in this ten-year period, with 79 people killed.
12 of these were children.
So far in 2025, there have been five fatalities reported to the Health and Safety Authority, with one other in the fishing sector.
‘There is a disproportionate amount of deaths, compared to building sites’ said Deputy Healy-Rae.
‘Farmers work alone a lot of the time; they’re on their own, and they’re getting older. They’re working with animals, machinery and they’re working at heights; the law of averages is catching people’.
‘You’d really be better off not doing a job yourself sometimes, and getting a contractor. No matter about money, you’re better off going into your own house at night rather than the hospital, or not at all. Whether it’s the physical side, or the mental, you’ve only one shot at life’.
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae is Minister of State with special responsibility for farm safety.
The Kerry TD continued to say that because of his own background in the forestry industry, he had ‘taken as many chances as anyone’.
‘I’m not coming along saying, you must be perfect, because we’re not. I’ve been in every situation myself, but you’re better off waiting for a neighbour, or a relative, or don’t do the job at all’.
Farmer fatigue is one of the key concerns for those in the agricultural industry, particularly for contractors as they take advantage of the fast grass growth this most recent season.
Farmers were speaking with Doctor Jason van der Velde of West Cork Rapid Response (WCRR), who has very recently completed an eight-day, 121km run along the Beara Way from Dursey to Gougane Barra.
The purpose of the run was, he said, to give something back to the community that has supported WCRR so well over the years.
‘It was about investing back into the community, but it was also about educating people and stimulating discussion about the importance of rural safety and farm safety,’ he said.
With this in mind, workshops and trainings on these topics were led by WCRR volunteers, and took place at schools, GAA clubs and community centres all along the route.
One of the big issues Dr Jason heard about at these workshops was the fatigue sometimes experienced by agricultural contractors, and, positively, their awareness of it.
‘We also wanted to sow the seeds for the formation of community first response groups in areas where there currently aren’t any, and I think we were successful in that regard,’ he said.
Dr Jason van der Velde is outspoken about the dangers of tiredness and fatigue for farmers and contractors, especially at peak times like silage season.
He and his colleagues received such positive feedback on the route that more workshops and meetings were organised to cover topics like dealing with farm accidents and managing haemorrhages.
On the run itself, Dr Jason said he is a relative newcomer and only ran his first marathon three years ago when encouraged by former patient Olivia Keating.
He admitted this was the hardest thing he’s ever done physically.
He was joined on the run by a core group of four including an intern paramedic and a medical student, as well as his 15-year-old son Nikolas for part of the way.
Along the route they were joined by people from various running groups, park-run groups, ambulance and emergency service volunteers.
‘When we finished up in Gougane Barra on day eight, we had 26 runners which was fantastic,’ he said.
He singled out Cork West Civil Defence volunteers for their support: ‘There’s no way at all we could have done this without them, they’re the real heroes.’
He also thanked Mary Rose Shanahan from Leap who runs a mobile sports recovery service.
‘She provided ice baths, compression boots and massage and it made such a huge difference,’ said Jason.
