Leitrim schools among first to join new farm safety awareness programme

Second-level students in the north west will soon have the opportunity to take part in a new Farm Safety Awareness programme, which is being rolled out this month by FRS Training.

Over the coming week, FRS Training will contact 29 secondary schools across the region.

This includes seven in Leitrim, 13 in Sligo, and nine in Roscommon, inviting them to register their interest. The initiative will be delivered by November this year.

The programme will provide a mix of face-to-face and webinar-led training modules covering all major farm safety risks and how to mitigate them, including livestock, machinery, slurry, tractors, working at heights, and more.

It is designed for two groups: general secondary students, and Transition Year or Agricultural Science students. Teachers will also receive support in educating their classes about the risks associated with farming and agriculture.

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Funded under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s dedicated Farm Safety budget, the programme aims to reach students in more than 700 schools nationwide.

Latest figures from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) show that farms remain the most dangerous workplaces in Ireland, with 171 fatal accidents recorded over the past decade. Already in 2025, 16 farming fatalities have been confirmed which is more than the total number for all of 2024.

Michael Healy-Rae TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Farm Safety, welcomed the initiative.

“I am delighted to support the Farm Safety Awareness programme being delivered by FRS Training to improve awareness around farm safety among second level students. “Unfortunately, children and young people in farming are particularly at risk of being involved in a farm incident. Since 2015, twelve people under 18 years of age have died on Irish farms and others have been seriously injured,” said Minister Healy-Rae.

“I am urging second level schools and teachers to avail of this opportunity to educate their students about the hazards on farms and how incidents can be prevented. I am confident that this programme will not only contribute to a lifelong positive attitude to farm safety among students, but these students will also increase awareness around farm safety among their farming families.”

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Ben Fearn, Head of Sales and Operations at FRS Training, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to safer farms through education and training.

“FRS Training is delighted to partner with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to deliver this project and promote farm safety awareness among young people,” said Mr Fearn.

“We at FRS Training have always been committed to supporting safer farms through education and training, and to ultimately reduce the number of farm accidents in Ireland. While striving to reduce the number of farm-related accidents and deaths, it is vital to focus on young people – our future farmers,” he added.

“What they learn at a young age, they can carry with them for the rest of their long careers, and this will help to build a strong culture of safe farming amongst the next generation,” he concluded.

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