Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to pay tribute to our Seanad colleagues, Senators Ahearn and Ward, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney. It was a difficult experience to travel to Ukraine and to bring back the real experiences there and tell us what it is like on the ground. That helps our resolve and helps us to show how important peace will be. I know that on Sunday, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy put out a video that was so strong. It was in black and white and he spoke with such heart. He spoke about the walls of buildings coming down, saying that these walls held photos and that on those photos were people who had fought in the Second World War. Those walls are crumbling and falling apart. It was powerful and it shows how important that type of leadership and that soul he has given to Ukraine is. There is such pride in him as a leader. It is important for Ireland as an observer with the United Nations to play our role as well.

I would like to acknowledge that we had the Fine Gael agriculture and rural development conference in Tullamore last weekend. It was fantastic because I had an opportunity to meet the principal of Mountbellew Agricultural College, Dr. Edna Curley, who spoke about how getting training in farming these days is like passport to the future for farming. In other words, training in agriculture is the passport to developing a future but it is important that we see alternative forms of income in agriculture. It is true that what we saw over that day was how important it is that we, as a group, develop our policies in Fine Gael to fight for farmers across the country, be they dry stock or suckler farmers. That is particularly true in how we are looking at supports coming in to aid those farmers who will potentially face fodder shortages later this year, especially with the rising costs of fertiliser. The silage measures that have been brought in, to the tune of over €55 million, will be crucial to offer support to farmers of up to €1,000. It will be so needed when times are tough, especially when we know that farmers potentially will not be making a second cut. Gabhaim buíochas; I thank our colleagues.