Senators Kieran O'Donnell and Maura Hopkins referred to the plight of the farming community, but there is a major issue with grain growers and the grain sector. The grain sector in Ireland is on the verge of failing and ceasing to exist because of a fourth year of bad weather, bad prices and bad volume. We are looking at a situation, from Cork to Donegal, where grain has not been harvested, prices are as low as €135 a tonne and moisture content is anything up to 30%. It is a massive issue for everyone involved in the agriculture sector. We cannot let the sector slip through our fingers, as it were. We must act. A package of €11.2 million has been put in place for the livestock sector this year, but there has not been one for the grain sector. It is one of the issues about which we need to talk to the Minister. He should come to the House to discuss it because we need to go to the European Union to get an aid package for grain farmers and the grain sector. I met grain farmers from all over west Cork last weekend, from Kilbrittain and Ballinascarty all the way to Roberts Cove, and the story is the same. They are at the end of their tether and need assistance. I hope the Minister will go to the European Union and that we will get an aid package because without that I do not see this sector existing and it would be an awful shame.

Mar a dúirt roinnt daoine eile cheana féin, tá sé thar a bheith maith a bheith ar ais chun na cúrsaí seo a phlé inniu.

I draw the attention of the Leader and Members to the welcome news of an agreement that was reached in north Belfast on outstanding contentious parades between the Crumlin and Ardoyne residents association and local lodges of the loyal orders. On behalf of my party, I commend the two mediators who were involved in those discussions, the Rev. Harold Good and Mr. Jim Roddy, both of whom, with others, have played a key role in navigating what I am sure everyone will appreciate have been difficult and choppy waters in that part of the city relating to the parading issue and what has become known as Camp Twaddell.

The agreement offers the opportunity and has the potential to be transformative both for the specific bespoke issues faced by the community in north Belfast and for those communities dealing with what I stress are the last few issues of contentious loyal order parades. I am, however, disappointed - I am sure Members will share my disappointment - but not entirely surprised that some have sought to rally against this positive agreement. When negativity and regression are one's raison d'être, that really is all one has to offer one's local community. What a sad reflection that is. However, Members should take the opportunity to send a clear message from this House that they support and seek to bolster localised dialogue to seek a resolution to the issue of contentious parades and that they stand ready to support, where appropriate, the facilitation of that dialogue.

As I had intended to raise it, I support the call made by Senator Tim Lombard regarding the grain industry. Consequently, I will speak about something else instead, namely, the protection of the 9% VAT rate for the tourism industry. This is a highly vulnerable industry and since the 9% rate was introduced in 2011, it has been responsible for the creation of many jobs across the sector. There is a fear that were it to be touched in the forthcoming budget, it certainly would have a detrimental effect post-Brexit on many jobs and businesses across the tourism sector. The 9% rate gave great confidence in respect of job creation to businesses in the tourism industry during the downturn. As a consequence of the lower VAT rate, it was one of the few industries in which job creation took place. I, therefore, call on the Minister to retain it.