27/05/2026
.ie
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, today announced the reopening of the National Farm Safety Measure for 2026.
The National Farm Safety Measure 2026 will provide a financial contribution to participating farmers covering 60% of the eligible cost for up to four Power Take Off (PTO) shaft covers.
Opening the measure today, coinciding with Tractor Safety Week, Minister Heydon said:
"I am reopening the National Farm Safety Measure to incentivise farmers to check the protective guards on PTO powered machinery and replace defective or missing PTO-shaft covers. Too many farmers are operating PTO-powered equipment with PTO shafts which are not adequately protected, placing themselves and others at risk of serious or fatal injuries. To be effective in protecting the operator, the PTO shaft must be completely enclosed by the protective covers. This also includes the U-guard at the tractor end and the O-guard on the machine.”
Over the past decade, farm vehicles and machinery accounted for almost half of all fatalities on farms. In the last two years, entanglement in PTO shafts has resulted in two fatalities on Irish farms.
For further information on the National Farm Safety Measure 2026 go to www.gov.ie/farmsafety .
