Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Is deas an rud é go bhfuil gach duine ar ais sa Seomra agus cuirim fáilte ar ais rompu. Like many others, my thoughts this morning are with Senator Hoey and her family. I want to refer to two issues. One is local to my area and one is national. Last Thursday, a young boy from Tulsk National School in County Roscommon, Callum Clarke, who is 11 years of age, saved his grandfather from drowning. His grandfather had taken him out fishing on a local lake. His grandfather stood up to disentangle the line that had got caught in the reeds. I do not know what happened but the boat capsized. This remarkable young lad got a piece of timber. His grandfather had gone down under the water twice and the third time he came up, he got him to hold on to the piece of timber, rested his body some way on his body, got them back onto the boat and rowed the boat in. It is one of the most remarkable stories I have ever heard. On behalf of everybody here we should write a letter to him and other people who do such things to acknowledge what they do. We might take this on board and if it can be done I would appreciate it.

I ask the Deputy Leader to get the support of the House to ask RTÉ to appoint an agriculture correspondent without further delay. In fairness, this matter was raised by Senator Dooley a number of months ago. I said at the time the matter was going to be decided on by RTÉ as that was my information. However, it has not done so and it is time it did. Everyone recognises, whether they are urban or rural, that agriculture is still the backbone of our economy. The agricultural sector should have an agriculture correspondent at the national broadcaster. This correspondence subject should not be shared with any other. It should not be an agriculture and climate change post. Both are entitled to due coverage. Fran McNulty was the previous agriculture correspondent. He was an excellent presenter. It is more than six months since he left and RTÉ has not filled the position. Will the Deputy Leader contact the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the director general of RTÉ, Dee Forbes, to ask them to fill this particular position without delay.