TD in emotional plea following recent tragedy
The tragic death of a 20-year-old farmer in a quad bike accident has prompted one TD to question their future use on Irish farms.
Fine Gael TD, Michael Darcy said that, in his opinion, the usage of quads on farms is becoming too dangerous now.
“The number of people that are being killed or paralysed per annum is farm too high. I spoke to a health and safety specialist he made a really valid point.
“If a quad or any mechanical device that did as much damage as quads do were on a building site they would be banned,” he said.
Darcy was making the comments on the back of the death of a 26-year-old man following an accident involving a quad bike on his father’s farm in north Wexford.
John Kennedy, of Moneyribbon, Coolgreaney, Gorey, Co Wexford, was working with cattle at the time of the accident.
VIDEO: Levels of quads on farms becoming dangerous, Oireachtas committee hears
http://independent.bbvms.com/view/embed/2779564.html
He was helping his father, Donal, with the early morning milking when the accident occurred on the farm at around 7am.
“Good friends of mine lost their son,” Darcy said at a meeting of the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee this week.
“I really feel that the quantity of accidents with these machines is too high. I’m not taking about banning quads.
“But I think the Department of Finance should be able to do something to improve safety
“They only way to improve safety of quads is to get rid of them.”
Darcy said he is of the view that there are much safer vehicles available.
“The gator buggies are much safer they’re slower, they’re wider and they don’t turn over to the same extent.
“I feel the VAT or VRT on those should go to zero for a period of time to afford the farming community the opportunity to get rid of quads off farms.
“Too many people are killed every year. Too many people are paralysed every year,” he said.
Story by Ciaran Moran of Irish Independent, 24th March
