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10 Feb 2026
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10 Feb 2026
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Dr Stan Lalor, Teagasc; Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae TD; Dr John McNamara, Teagasc,
The National Farm Safety Measure has reopened for applications, it has been announced by the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae TD.
The National Farm Safety Measure 2025 provides grant aid covering 60% of the eligible cost of up to four Power Take Off (PTO) shaft covers.
“Properly fitted and well-maintained PTO-shaft covers are essential when it comes to protecting everyone on farms from the risk of a serious or fatal injury involving PTO-powered machinery.
“I am reopening the National Farm Safety Measure to encourage farmers to replace PTO shaft covers that are defective or missing,” the minister said.
Between 2015 and 2024, farm vehicles and machinery accounted for almost half of all fatalities on farms. Entanglement in PTO shafts has resulted in fatalities and life-changing injuries on Irish farms.
Minister Healy-Rae added: “The greatest investment that farmers can make regarding farm safety is time - time to identify the hazards on the farm and time to put corrective actions in place. I am encouraging farmers to take out their Farm Safety Code of Practice risk assessment, use it to identify and review the hazards around the farm such as inadequately protected PTO-shaft covers and to then put the necessary steps in place to minimise or eliminate the risks. When it comes to farm safety, complacency or inaction can be unforgiving.”
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The Farm Safety Measure is being funded from the National Exchequer. The Measure opened on July 23 and will remain open until Friday, November 7, 2025, on www.agfood.ie.
Grant aid under the measure is at a rate of 60% subject to a maximum eligible cost of €100 per PTO shaft cover, for up to for four PTO shaft covers.
Farmers who applied for grant aid under the National Farm Safety Measure in 2023 or 2024 are also eligible for this measure.
For more information on the National Farm Safety Measure see www.gov.ie/farmsafety
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