Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I share Senator Comiskey's optimism about the agrifood sector but I ask the Leader to respond to what seems to be yet another sideswipe at the agricultural sector by those who seem to know very little about the difficulties that sector has been facing in recent years. This has come about primarily because last week the IFA published up to date figures on farm incomes, noting they had increased by some 26% to 27%, which is very welcome. The underlying reality is that although this income has shown a significant increase it is still well below the average industrial wage. It is reckoned to be in the order of €21,500 but in the media today there are suggestions that farmers should be prevented from buying farm diesel at a cheaper rate. The attitude is why should farmers be subsidised when they are showing such a significant increase in income?

I am sure the Leader will agree with me that the attitude should be "hands off" the farming industry. Farmers have gone through a difficult period and it is a volatile industry. In the past ten days the more serious commentators on this area who have analysed the increase in income have pointed to this volatility within the sector; one pointing out that milk prices can collapse overnight. Farmers face that particular difficulty. If people wish to make any comment about improvements in the farming industry they should compliment farmers on their hard work and note the achievements of their efforts.

I ask the House to take note of the sad passing of one of the original ambassadors of Irish tourism, the late Bridie Gallagher, who passed away this week. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam. Bridie Gallagher was the first tourism ambassador for Ireland in the 1950s when tourism was only an embryonic industry. She brought out the music and song of Ireland and was a wonderful personality, showing the essence of Irishness to audiences across the world. This was so much so that I have no doubt that the Donegal tourism industry and that of the west of Ireland in general, right down to my colleague's county of Kerry, benefited enormously from the considerable publicity Bridie Gallagher generated when she appeared at the most iconic attractions across the world, including the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall in London and Carnegie Hall in New York. I would like the Leader and the House to note her passing. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam.