New South Longford farm training facility opens to 'serve farmers and workers in the area'

FRS Training has launched a new regional training location at the Longford Westmeath Farmers Mart in Ballymahon to serve farmers and workers in the area providing essential agricultural and health & safety courses.

Five training courses in ATV/Quad driving, safe use of pesticides (Boom and Handheld), and chainsaw handling have been scheduled between January and March.

As of November 2023, all ATV/Quad owners must sit a training course to operate a quad on their land. The FRS Training quad driving course will take place on January 27th and February 24th.

The QQI Chainsaw operations course includes correct use, maintenance and health and safety lessons.

The Handheld Spraying course is scheduled for the 17th and 25th of February, and the Boom sprayer course will take place on the 24th and 31st of March. All farmers that sit the Pesticide Spraying course will receive a Pesticide Usage (PU) number.

Successful courses have already taken place at the Longford Westmeath Farmers Mart venue which provides further scope for more courses in the future. FRS Training, in conjunction with Longford and Westmeath Farmers Mart, launched this new facility to allow local farm owners and workers to improve their confidence with important agricultural equipment.

Ben Fearn, Head of Sales and Operations at FRS Training, said, “We at FRS Training are thrilled to have opened our new training location in Ballymahon. broadening our reach to over 50 venues covering all counties in Ireland.

"This venue will be a focal point of key education and training for farmers and other workers especially due to the dangerous nature of the profession.

“Since 2014, 38% of Irish workplace fatalities were on farms, despite the industry accounting for only 11% of the workforce.

“Confidence in using equipment is vital to safety on farms, and we make sure that our courses provide the most up-to-date advice on all makes of equipment in an engaging and informative way.”

Agricultural job opportunities

Meanwhile, as farmers face into a busy 2026 calving season, FRS Farm Services is seeking to recruit 9 farm operators in Ballyjamesduff, which serves Cavan, Longford, and Westmeath.

The jobs opportunity has full-time, part-time and flexible working options with regular workers being eligible to earn €10,000 over a three-month period.

FRS Farm Services has open positions available in Co Wicklow that require a range of duties such as milking, calf rearing, night calving, animal husbandry, machinery work and general farm jobs.

Each worker will also be entitled to PRSI, holiday pay and sick pay.

Although, experience of working in an agricultural setting would be beneficial for applicants, FRS Farm Services said it is not essential.

Budget 2026 provides over €3 billion in funding for special education.

This increased funding will allow schools recruit additional teaching and SNA staff to provide another 3,000 new special class and special school places.

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