News

Childcare pressure leading to more accidents in summer

Posted 06/08/2014

Farmers are under increasing pressure from childcare responsibilities in summer, leading to more accidents. That’s the view of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), who says more farmers are working harder than ever before in the summer months due to falling incomes. This, in turn, is making wives and partners work to help make ends meet, leaving fewer parents available to watch young children over the summer holidays.

There have already been a couple of farm accidents on the beginning of August: a three year old boy died in a farming accident in Cork and a five year old boy was killed in an accident on a farm in Co Offaly.      

The ICSA reiterated the dangers of working on a farm but also notes that farms were also homes, too. John Flynn, from the ICSA, said: “Young children particularly should be kept away from dangers like machinery and livestock. However, we can’t lose sight of the fact that the farm is a home as well as a workplace.”