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RTÉ News
11-08-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Role of young farmers a highlight of Tullamore Show
Thousands of people turned out at the Tullamore Show, the biggest one-day agricultural event in the country. The event took place on the outskirts of Tullamore, at the Butterfield Estate in Blueball, and was officially opened by Tánaiste Simon Harris. He described the show as the heartbeat of rural Ireland and said that there are now 130 agricultural shows in Ireland. "What an incredible statistic to be able to say, and it's really showing the heartbeat and the lifeblood of rural and regional Ireland right across the country," he said. Organisers expected in excess of 50,000 people to pass through the gates by the end of yesterday. They also said the show surpassed all expectations with the number of entries to the event's competitions across the various sections exceeding 5,000. The national livestock show is a chance to display pedigree cattle considered to be amongst the best in Europe as well as the best in horses, poultry and farm produce. Emphasis of role of young farmers This year, there was a strong emphasis on the role of young farmers in delivering sustainable change, with young farmers highlighting generational renewal, succession and youth-led innovation. Christopher Cahill, a dairy farmer from Cavan, is in a shared farming partnership in Co Westmeath. "In 2022 I started a dairy farm partnership with the landowner, so he owns the land and the facilities, and I own the stock, and we're in a share farming partnership," he explained. "We're in our fourth year of that now and that has opened the door to me. It has given me a pathway into farming. "I'm not directly from a farming background, so I suppose the idea of succession and pathways for young farmers to get into agriculture and get into farming, that don't come from directly from a farming background, is also something that we face in today's world." The Farm Safety Live event which has been developed by FRS Co-Op, the Health and Safety Authority and FBD Insurance, in conjunction with the Tullamore Show, focused on chainsaw safety this year. It follows a notable increase in requests for chainsaw training following the severe storm damage caused by Storm Éowyn earlier this year. "You see, a farmer might be tempted to go and cut a tree that has fallen, but a tree that has fallen can be equally as dangerous as felling, because you don't know what it's like inside," said Jim Dockery, Health and Safety manager with FRS Co-Op. "Some of them could be quite large, and with ash dieback," he said. "So when you cut inside an inch or so, you may find that the centre is rotten, so I suppose the message I would have for farmers is not to attempt to cut large trees or fell large tree, that's a really specialised business," he added. Concerns remain among farmers The show took place against a backdrop of proposed CAP reforms which were announced by the EU Commission last month. IFA President Francie Gorman said while the people are upbeat, there are still concerns among farmers. "People are good form, the weather is good and there's 100,000 livestock farmers in this country and and most of them are here today but concerns around CAP proposals from the European Commission are real," he said. "We need a CAP deal that's going to support that industry, and the concerns around Mercosur are absolutely huge as well," he said. "We need our government to honour that commitment in the Programme for Government to work with like minded countries to ensure that that deal does not go ahead" he said. Speaking in Tullamore, Mr Harris acknowledged the significant contribution agriculture makes to life in Ireland and said there are three big pieces of work to be done at European level. "There's CAP, there's Mercosur and, of course, there's a nitrates derogation and we represent a country that is now the largest single contributor for head of capital to the EU budget, and that needs to be recognised," he said. "In the weeks ahead, we will be continuing to build alliances at a European level to make sure that any future EU budget has a well funded and ring fenced Common Agricultural Policy. "We cannot lose sight of the fact that agriculture is not a nice to have, it's not a nice to do, it is an essential part of the Irish economy and its essential part of the European economy. "If the last number of of months in terms of turbulence, trade and tariffs have taught us anything, it's the fact that we now more than ever be supporting indigenous industry." Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers also attended the event and met farming organisations. Those attending the event were urged to be patient as they left, as traffic was due to be heavy.
RTÉ News
10-08-2025
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Thousands expected to descend upon Tullamore Show
Thousands of people are expected to attend the Tullamore Show today, the biggest one-day agricultural event in the country. The event is taking place on the outskirts of Tullamore, at the Butterfield Estate in Blueball and will be officially opened by the Tánaiste Simon Harris this afternoon. Organisers says that the show has surpassed all expectations and the number of entries to the event's competitions across the various sections have exceeded 5,000. The national livestock show is a chance to display pedigree cattle considered to be amongst the best in Europe as well as the very best in horses, poultry and farm produce. This year's show sees the return of the Sustainable Livestock Village, which will be powered by Hydrogen, the first for any show or event in Ireland, according to organisers. This year, there will be a strong emphasis placed on the role of young farmers in delivering sustainable change, with Macra joining the village for the first time to highlight generational renewal and youth-led innovation. Although considered a mainly livestock event, the machinery exhibition at the Tullamore Show has grown in recent years and organisers say the machinery listing has increased significantly this year. Farm safety event to be held at show There will also be a Farm Safety Live event which has been developed by FRS Co-Op, the Health and Safety Authority and FBD Insurance, in conjunction with the Tullamore Show. The display will emphasise the importance of safety around farm vehicles, equipment and livestock with a particular focus this year around chainsaw safety. It follows a notable increase in requests for chainsaw training following the severe storm damage caused by Storm Éowyn earlier this year. Experts will also provide hands-on demonstrations focusing on tractor driving and power take off safety, the safe use of quads and ATVs, and proper livestock handling. The show is taking place against a backdrop of proposed CAP reforms which were announced by the EU Commission last month and there is expected to be discussion around that at the show. Gardaí have issued a traffic management plan ahead of the show with the main N52 closed to through traffic on the day of the event, from the junction at Mucklagh to Blueball. There are alternative routes for traffic not attending the event. There will be four large car parks in operation across 240 acres and dedicated routes have been selected leading directly to the car parks. Over 50,000 people attended the event last year.
Agriland
05-08-2025
- General
- Agriland
Farm Safety Live to mark 10 years at Tullamore Show
Farm Safety Live will mark its tenth year at the Tullamore Show with a continued focus on practical, farm-based safety demonstrations. This year's demonstrations at the show will be officially launched at 10:00a.m on Sunday (August 10) by Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety Michael Healy-Rae. Farm Safety Live (located at stand L105) has been developed by FRS Co-Op, the HSA and FBD Insurance, in conjunction with the Tullamore Show. The display will emphasise the importance of safety around farm vehicles, equipment and livestock. This year, Farm Safety Live will also include a live chainsaw safety demonstration. This follows a notable increase in requests for chainsaw training following the severe storm damage caused by Storm Éowyn earlier this year. Experts from FRS Co-Op's training division will provide hands-on demonstrations focusing on tractor driving and power take off (PTO) safety, the safe use of quads and ATVs, and proper livestock handling. Ben Fearn, operations manager at FRS Training, said the live demonstrations at Tullamore Show are 'a powerful tool for helping to change behaviours". "Watching routine practices and observing the potential hazards helps farm families and farm workers recognise and mitigate risks. "Continuous education and training is essential to foster a safety-conscious culture on farms. The Tullamore Show is an ideal platform for promoting these vital messages to a wide audience," he added. Data from the HSA data shows that farms remain the most dangerous workplaces in Ireland, with a total of 171 fatal accidents recorded on farms in the past decade. So far in 2025, there have been 12 farming fatalities, which is equal to the total number of fatalities in farming for all of 2024. Of the 12 farm fatalities this year, five (41%) have involved vehicles. Ger Hartnett, senior inspector at the HSA, said that "incidents on farms continue to contribute to a disproportionate number of work-related fatal injuries". "In the last 10 years, farm vehicles and machinery account for almost half of all farm deaths. "In order to keep reducing serious and fatal injuries in the sector, we need to improve the safety culture and behaviour on Irish farms. "The focus on farm vehicles, livestock handling, and chainsaw safety is a key objective of Farm Safety Live this year. "Giving these demonstrations at the Tullamore Show will hopefully help promote safer behaviour and help prevent future accidents on our farms," he said. Chelsey Cox McDonald, secretary of the Tullamore Show, said that "highlighting farm safety is a fundamental part of our show programme". "We hope each demonstration will help everyone to 'think farm safety' and work towards eliminating risks. "The number of families affected by farm tragedies each year is truly heart-wrenching," she added. Ciaran Roche, risk manager at FBD Insurance, encouraged visitors to Tullamore Show to visit Farm Safety Live. "We know that most accidents are very preventable by ensuring vehicles, facilities and work equipment are suitable for the work at hand, maintained in safe operational condition and by ensuring safe working practices are followed at all times. 'By showing farmers best practices this will allow farmers to implement these safety standards on their own farm and in doing so making Irish farms a safer place for everyone," he said.
Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Fifteen wild deer 'hotspots' set to receive management units to control populations
To control wild deer populations, 15 dedicated Deer Management Units across the country have been established. Deer management will be implemented in each of the 15 hotspots to bring the wild deer population down to a sustainable level. A contract to implement and deliver several recommendations from the Deer Management Strategy Group was awarded to FRS Co-Op in February of this year, which has now appointed local coordinators to lead the 15 units. They cover areas of the country with well-known hotspots for wild deer. The Deer Management Strategy was developed in 2023 and included a range of recommendations for the ongoing management of Ireland's wild deer population to ensure it is maintained at a sustainable level. The strategy was overseen and developed by a steering group that included representatives from the Department of Agriculture, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Coillte, farmer representatives and other key stakeholders. The coordinators appointed by FRS Co-Op will work with landowners and licensed hunters within these areas. The co-op will not directly employ any hunters as part of its contract, but will oversee the coordination with local hunters and hunting groups who wish to participate in the deer management programme. The locally based coordinators for each Deer Management Unit will be engaging with farmers and landowners to identify issues relating to deer that currently exist and help facilitate deer management for the area by engaging with local hunters. Deer management units map These units aim to control wild deer populations to a sustainable level to help protect Ireland's natural environment, improve biodiversity in our woodlands and other habitats, protect farmland, and contribute to improving human safety by reducing the number of road traffic accidents involving deer. For the past number of decades, Ireland's wild deer population has increased significantly to the point where there is no accurate data on the exact deer population in the country at present. Although there is no specific data, there has been clear evidence of the growth of wild deer populations due to increased incidences of negative impacts as a result of deer populations, such as biodiversity loss, damage to natural woodlands and farmland, and increased road accidents involving deer. FRS Co-Op has established the Deer Management Units based on the available data, such as native woodland monitoring, commercial forest inventories, and road traffic accidents as a result of deer activity. A survey conducted as part of the final Deer Management Strategy report found more than 80% of stakeholders identified biodiversity loss, damage to farmland and road traffic safety as either 'very' or 'somewhat important' issues relating to the growth in the national deer population. Speaking on the announcement, manager of FRS Co-Op's deer management programme Michael Keegan said: 'I would urge landowners in deer hotspots to join a local deer management group or look to establish a deer management group for your area if one does not currently exist. FRS Co-Op is available to assist landowners seeking to establish local deer management groups.' Read More Kerry council to roll out pilot scheme to detect deer on roads in bid to prevent accidents
Agriland
20-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Lack of career progression a major challenge for farm workers
Less than 13% of farm workers believe there are career progression opportunities in farming, according to the findings of a nationwide survey. The 2025 survey of FRS Co-Op's 1,200 farm operators across Ireland shows that the majority of people who works on farms do so because they enjoy working outdoors and working with animals. However, the survey highlighted how the farming sector must find ways to reduce the level of unsociable working hours and define better career pathways for progression if it is to attract and retain workers into the future. Farm workers When asked what the farming industry needs to do to attract new talent, over 50% of farm workers cited the need for higher wages. This was followed by reducing the number of unsociable hours of work on farms and defining clearer pathways for career progression. Ireland's farming industry is increasingly reliant on external labour support, with 9 out of 10 farms now using external labour to various degrees throughout the year. Over 80% of farm workers who responded to the FRS Co-Op survey said Irish farms are better prepared for the increased workloads during the spring calving season following the expansion on farms after the end of EU milk quotas. The FRS Co-Op survey also reveals that just over 50% of its farm operators do not own their own farm. Of this cohort, almost 80% said they would like to manage their own farm in the future, suggesting there is potential to attract new entrants to the farming sector. Survey Neil Keane, head of agriculture at FRS Co-Op, said the results of the survey illustrate some of the challenges and opportunities facing Irish farming. 'On the one hand, working on a farm can have unsociable hours and many don't see a clear pathway to career progression. 'On the other hand, there is clearly a large group of people that are attracted to farming as a career for the lifestyle it offers and the opportunity to work outdoors,' he said. 'Perhaps the most interesting finding of this year's survey is that almost 80% of farm operators who do not own a farm, said they would like to manage their own farm in the future. 'This is quite encouraging as it suggests farming does have the ability to attract new entrants into the sector,' Keane added. The government-appointed Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming is set to release recommendations later this year. While the European Union announced that it wants to attract over 370,000 new farmers into the sector over the next five years. 'We need to focus on developing policies that will remove some of the barriers for new entrants who don't currently have a farm or own their own land,' Keane said. FRS Co-Op is headquartered in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, is the largest employer of farm labour in all of Europe, and has also developed significant operations in recruitment and contract training services. Founded in 1980, the business currently employs 2,000 staff and generates annual revenues of around €100 million.
