The most in-demand elements with farmers of the Farm Safety Scheme were mobile cattle handling equipment, yard lights, roller doors and rewiring.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, mobile cattle handling equipment and yard lights were the two features of the scheme that attracted the most applications.
The scheme, which was announced late last year, and had a closing date of January 9, attracted some 6,300 applicants.
Grant aid of 40% was made available to farmers under the new scheme, which was announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney before Christmas.
He announced the measures in Budget 2015 as part of a targeted scheme to help farmers upgrade the standard of safety on their farms.
The minimum spend by farmers to avail of the scheme was €2,000, despite calls for this figure to be reduced to €1,000.
List of Eligible Items under Farm Safety Scheme
- Safety Rails on Silo Walls
- Safety Fencing for external slurry and effluent stores (including gate)
- Solid Cover for External Slurry and Effluent Stores
- Safety Covers on External Agitation Points or Manholes
- Replacement of damaged slats (single/twin/gang) or replacement of existing internal agitation point with new gang slats
- Replacement of hinged door/sheeted gate with a sliding door on agricultural buildings
- Removal of end wall of tank and provision of external agitation point
- Wiring/Rewiring of existing farm buildings
- Yard Lights (min 200W equivalent, either metal halide or LED)
- Retrofitting roof clear-sheet (roof light) with safety cages
- Circulation pipe (6”) to allow for agitation of slurry
- Installation of calving gates
- Simple aeration systems
- Mobile Cattle Crush Unit (min 2.4m long)
- Mobile cattle penning max of 75 linear metres (in combination with a Cattle Handling unit)
- Mobile cattle weighing scales
- Leg hoist/ lifter
- Head Scoop
- Mobile specialised Sheep spraying equipment (with or without trailer)
- Portable Sheep Handling Race with wheels (including footbath)
- Portable Basic Sheep Handling Race
- Mobile Sheep Weighing Facilities
- Mobile Sheep Rollover Crates
- Mobile Sheep “Batch” Footbaths
- Mobile Sheep penning max of 75 linear metres (in combination with a Sheep Handling Race)
- Mobile Sheep Adoption Unit Front
- Mobile Sheep Adoption Unit Front with penning