Farm safety is of paramount importance and amending current grant conditions to build or improve farm buildings will not be considered.

This was the response of Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, to a question raised by the Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, Albert Dolan.

Minister Heydon said "the requirement that internal slurry agitation points be removed as a condition for the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) grant, was an important safety measure built into the scheme".

The TAMS scheme promotes farm safety by facilitating the retrofitting of safety features in existing farm sheds and facilities, he added.

Unintentional exclusion

Deputy Dolan had sked whether the current TAMS rules about internal slurry agitation points could "unintentionally exclude older but otherwise functional livestock buildings from grant support for safety, animal welfare and environmental improvements".

He also asked whether the department would consider amendments to future TAMS schemes "to allow a phased transition to external agitation systems while continuing to support necessary upgrades to existing farm infrastructure".

Minister Heydon said: "[...] the Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme in TAMS 3 provides grant aid for both the removal of internal agitation points and tank extensions for the express purpose of providing external agitation points.

"I would [therefore] encourage farmers to apply to TAMS for the removal of internal agitation points through the Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme where 60% grant aid is paid on all eligible investments," he said.

TAMS 3 is a key element of the current CAP Strategic Plan and allows farmers to invest in their holdings through grant aid "to upgrade a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings", according to Minister Heydon.

Farm fatalities

A fatal incident on a farm in Co. Galway involving slurry equipment earlier this month, again highlighted the importance of adhering to farm safety regulations

According to the latest annual report published by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), official figures show there was a "disproportionate number of fatalities in the agricultural sector" last year.

A total of 23 deaths were confirmed in the agricultural sector during 2025.

The sector also saw the highest number of work related fatalities last year, or 40% of all work-related fatalities, despite employing only about 4% of the workforce.

Over the past 10 years, 38% of all workplace fatal accidents have occurred in the agriculture sector.