Galway farmers have been warned to put safety at the top of their agenda, after a 66-year-old Ballinasloe farmer and a young toddler were killed in farming related accidents over the weekend.

Michael John Madden of Fohenagh, Caltra was spreading lime on his farm in Kilconnell on Friday when he became entangled in machinery. Emergency services rushed to the scene but attempts to resuscitate the agricultural contractor failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was then removed to Portiuncula Hospital, where a post mortem took place.

On Saturday, two-year-old Mark Molloy was killed after he was hit by a moving tractor and trailer at his home in Shrule. It is understood that the toddler ran into the side of a tractor at 6.20pm on land near Headford. The little boy was waked at his home on Sunday night, before a heartbreaking funeral service on Monday. He is survived by his parents, James and Margaret Molloy and his two brothers. James Molloy is a well-known farmer and butcher in the Glencorrib area and the tight-knit local community is said to be rallying around the Molloy family as they struggle to come to terms with their tragic loss.

Noting that the number of deaths in agriculture to date this year have already passed last year's total, Minister for Labour Affairs Billy Kelleher warned people to be careful as they enter one of the busiest times of the year for farmers.

"It is clear from studying the reports of these accidents that the vast majority were preventable. I am appealing to all farmers but particularly to elderly farmers and to farmers with young families to think 'safety first' at all times. By simply taking five minutes to think about the risks involved before starting any task, you can take preventative measures to lessen the likelihood of an accident or worse.

"So far, 2008 has been particularly tragic in terms of the number of fatalities in the sector. Thirteen people have sadly lost their lives on farms to date this year, including three under the age of 15 and four farmers aged 65 and over. This compares to a total of 11 farm fatalities for the whole of 2007. Once again, I am calling on all farmers to follow the 'Code of Practice for the Prevention of Accidents and Occupational Ill Health in Agriculture' and I strongly urge any farmers who have not yet attended the training courses that are being provided, to do so. It may save not only your life but also the lives of farm family members, workers or visitors to your farm.

"The weather this summer so far, as we all know, has not been good. I want to implore farmers not to take any undue risks if and when the weather improves. The temptation for some may be to take shortcuts when it comes to health and safety as they try to make up for lost time. Safety should never be compromised. It is just not worth the risk."

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