10. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts being made by his Department to prioritise improvements in farmer mental health and well-being supports, in particular supports for rural mental health programmes, recognising the unique challenges faced by those in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13798/25]

Sentiment score: 0.26

What efforts are being made by the Minister's Department to prioritise improvements in farmers' mental health and well-being supports, in particular supports for rural mental health programmes, recognising the unique challenges faced by those in the sector, and will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

Sentiment score: 0.77

A recent study - and there have been a number of them - by agri-mental health group Farming Minds in UCD found that 23.4% of farmers are considered at risk of suicide, 50% of farmers are currently experiencing moderate to extremely severe depression and almost 40% of farmers are experiencing moderate to extremely severe anxiety and stress. That report and other reports have been produced over recent years and highlight this, but other health areas need to be highlighted as well. I came across someone recently in their early 30s who suffered a severe stroke, so this is about not just mental health but also other health issues. We need to make sure we get the information out there but also work for farmers, working in particular with the farming organisations - the IFA, Macra na Feirme, the ICMSA and all the others - on getting information out there. The big issue with people being at risk in farming is that they work alone for quite considerable periods.

Sentiment score: -0.24

It is important to highlight this issue, as I said, with the farming organisations but also to work with other groups in rural areas. There was a time when if you were, say, a dairy farmer, you went to the creamery and you met others at IFA meetings, Macra meetings or ICMSA meetings. However, a lot of meetings now are held on Zoom so there is not the same social contact. That is why it is important that we work together to try to provide support, making sure that people do not feel alone, that if they do have challenges, there is someone there to give them help and support. We need to do a lot of work on this over the next few months, in particular because of the price reduction in a number of areas. It is important that this support be given.

Sentiment score: 0.30