As the spokesperson on sport for my party, I would like to ask the House to unite in an expression of sympathy on the sudden and sad passing of Anthony Foley, the Shannon, Munster and Ireland hero for many years. It was particularly poignant that he passed away when he was involved in the preparation of his beloved Munster for their match in the first round of the Champions Cup. The sympathy of the nation is with his wife, Olive; his sons, Tony and Dan, and his parents. His father Brendan was on the famous Munster team that beat the All Blacks many years ago. Anthony personified everything that was good about sport at the highest level. He showed commitment, passion and loyalty to his teams, country and family. At a time when sport, particularly professional sport, is in the headlines for a lot of the wrong reasons, it is important that we acknowledge someone who has been a true hero and a role model for young people. I did not know Anthony Foley personally, but the heartfelt tributes paid to him and his family by his playing colleagues and coaches, not just in Ireland but also internationally, say a lot about the man. It is important that we acknowledge heroic characters who have chosen their skill sets to personify what is good about life in Ireland.

I want to raise with the Leader the actions of the Environmental Protection Agency in seeking to delay implementation of EU air pollution limits at Moneypoint power station and other gas and fuel plants. The EPA has also pushed for an exemption that would allow the Edenderry power plant to exceed the new sulphur dioxide limits. In addition, the agency has opposed proposals for more stringent standards. This is very troubling and alarming. The EPA's mission statement is to improve the environment as a valuable asset for the people of Ireland. The agency is tasked with protecting citizens' health. I am deeply concerned that it is looking to have those standards lowered. I want to ascertain - perhaps the Leader might find out from the Minister - if the EPA is acting alone in this matter. Is it acting at the request of the Government or is it acting under the direction of the Minister? If so, it would be a worrying development. The EPA is seen as a safety net. An incinerator is being built in the area where I live in Dublin and the EPA is going to be tasked with monitoring it and making sure it will live up to very high standards of quality within the area. I am worried because I read in The Sunday Times at the weekend that the EPA was proposing a lower standard than that proposed by the European Union. Perhaps the Leader might find out and report back to the House on whose behalf the EPA is acting and why it is acting in this manner. The health of citizens in County Clare or Edenderry is as important as the health of citizens anywhere else. I want to know why the EPA is acting in this manner.

I wish to raise a matter that has been raised on numerous occasions in the past couple of months.

I make no apologies for raising it again and until some action is taken, I will continue to raise it. It concerns the plight of the mushroom industry as a result of the Brexit vote. Again this weekend, I have had communication with people involved in the industry which employs 3,500 people in rural areas where jobs are not ten a penny. Already to date, 130 jobs have been lost. Given the change in the exchange rate between sterling and the euro, when suppliers receive cheques for contracts they signed prior to the vote and cannot revoke until they come up for renewal between January and March next year, there is a difference of up to €25,000 in what they receive for £100,000 sterling.

The industry is going under. We had members involved in it in the Houses. They met the committee, the relevant Ministers and everybody who would lend them an ear. It was a sympathetic ear that they received all round. Budget day came and went and there was not one iota about the industry. The people involved in it are a resilient group and very confident that if they can ride out the storm, this time next year the mushroom industry will be stronger than ever. Their main competitors for contracts in the UK market were from eastern Europe. Now the eastern Europeans have run scared as a result of what is happening and the position in which the Irish industry finds itself. Therefore, they are confident that if they can survive and ride out the storm, when they renegotiate their contracts in the new year, there will be a strong a vibrant industry. Can they ride out the storm? The consensus is they cannot and will not as nobody can live with the losses they have taken.

I plead with the Leader that we get each and every relevant Minister into the House to not merely listen to statements, note them and walk out again. If the industry or the individuals in question were offering 130 jobs or had the potential to duplicate that number, there would be a queue of Ministers trying to claim credit. In full and sustainable employment when does the word "sustainable" come into play? It is as important to hold what we have as it is to be banging drums and looking for credit in creating new jobs. It is imperative and I propose that a Minister come before the House and answer questions. I am aware that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is due to attend the House next week. Let him come with answers.

The industry is going under and it will not be retrievable. It is not a situation where if a job is lost today, when the markets and contracts change in January, it will revitalise that job. Once it is lost, it will be gone forever. The €7 million already lost has been taken by Dutch suppliers. We are posturing with contingency plans for Brexit and what may happen. This is one of the first major outcomes and we are found to be standing offside. If our answer to everything else that might come down the line is the same, the economy is going to be ruined by Brexit. Let us show what we can do, will do and potentially do in the future.