asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that the EEC Joint Committee on Social Difficulties of Agricultural Workers is at present studying the safety laws and rules applicable to agricultural workers, farm tractors, implements and machinery, that it appears that farm safety laws apply in each of the other EEC countries and that a report on conditions in each country will be considered by the next meeting of the joint committee; and if he will state the safety regulations in force in this country other than the Chaff Cutting Machines Accident Act and a regulation applicable to tractors used in public places as distinct from farm tractors generally.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Workers' Safety Laws.
50.
So far as my Department are concerned there are no safety regulations in force of the type mentioned by the Deputy. I have nothing further to add to the reply which the Minister for Labour gave on 15th November to a question in similar terms from the Deputy.
Would the Minister not consider that at least at this eleventh hour an effort should be made to bring the safety regulations in this country as close as possible to those which have been laid down for the EEC countries? Does the Minister consider that people working on farms do not need to get any protection?
The Deputy should not suggest that anybody would consider it unnecessary to enforce safety regulations governing the handling of farm machinery as well as everything else. It is worth saying that considerable progress in this regard has been made in recent years.
In what way has any progress been made? Is it not true that farm safety has been excluded from all legislation dealing with safety in this country and a special Act dealing with farm tractors has only been partially applied?
The Deputy is aware of the fact that it is now necessary to have a safety frame or cab on any new tractor sold.
On new tractors?
Yes.