I call next on the newly wed Senator Feighan to address the Seanad. I add to the many congratulations he has received and wish him the best of luck and a long, happy marriage and life.

I thank the Cathaoirleach and all those who offered us good wishes. I agree with Senators McDowell and Norris. What is happening in Westminster has been impacting on our lives over the past three years and will do so like never before in the next few months. Mr. Dominic Grieve, MP, and many others have shown great leadership, vision and courage in trying to look at a situation that was damaging to the UK, the island of Ireland, the EU and world politics. I hope that there is a second referendum in the next few months or that the UK will remain. Senator McDowell put his finger on the pulse of what is happening. The UK is our best ally and friend in Europe. I hope in the coming months that whatever happens, those relationships North-South and east-west will be cemented even more. The UK is our nearest neighbour and our friend and we rely on it to a great extent. I hope sense prevails in the next few months.

I note that Temple Street charity is going to start collecting cashless payments online. I welcome this, as it is the way forward. Another politician in another House was saying churches were being affected by Garda checks for drink-drivers. Senator Mullen will agree that there can be something lazy about church gate collections. They happen all over rural Ireland and they are hitting the 10% or 20% who are going to mass every Saturday or Sunday. I know it has nothing to do with the church, which has been tolerant in allowing church gate collections. They are, however, outdated. Some 25 years ago, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil had church gate collections, which was wrong. Charities need to consider a different way of targeting the public. Standing outside a church gate or a supermarket is just hitting the same people at the same time. Cashless donations should be considered because there is a generation Z now that needs to be addressed as well.

I concur 100% with Senator McDowell. On a second referendum, as circumstances change, so too should people's opinions be allowed to change if they so wish. I sincerely hope that a second referendum will be the ultimate outcome and that UK citizens will have an opportunity to vote based on what they know today as opposed to what they were told was going to happen two years ago.

Today, I wish to raise the plight of the farming community. Yesterday, Teagasc launched its review of the year gone by and an outlook for the year ahead. It makes very depressing reading, particularly for farmers. Costs continue to increase, including foodstuffs, fuel or fertilisers, while prices continue to decline across all sectors but for suckler and sheep farmers in particular. We all know the benefit of the farming sector to the Irish economy. Thankfully our exports are booming. That is great news and long may it continue, but we should not forget that these exports are achieved on the back of the farming community. For the vast majority, their incomes are between €12,500 and €17,500 per annum and that does not include their own time and labour.

If we are serious about ensuring that our exports continue, we cannot allow the farming community to fall by the wayside because we are killing the goose that lays the golden egg. It is high time that we ask the Minister to come to the House to facilitate a debate about the future of farming. The reality is that were subsidies to be removed, many farmers could not survive at all. If we are to continue to see exports boom, something must be done to protect our farming community. I ask that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine come to the House as soon as is practical in order that we can have a discussion on the future of farming.