The Dáil reconvened on Tuesday, but not before a trip over to the IFA lobbying session in the nearby Davenport Hotel.

Much like receiving confession before battle, nearly 80 TDs – practically every rural public representative – filed over for a run through the issues that matter in the run-up to the budget in two weeks’ time. Among them were Ministers Heather Humphreys, Denis Naughten, Charlie Flanagan and Regina Doherty. Charlie McConalogue and Michael McGrath led a strong Fianna Fáil contingent.

There was a clear sense that the politicians understand the scale of the problems farmers are currently experiencing, with an energy and focus to proceedings.

It is entirely necessary, of course, with every sector experiencing its own problems. Take the mushroom growers, for instance. They are utterly unaffected by the weather, but are seeing their livelihoods and businesses totally undermined by currency fluctuation.

The sector, which employs 3,500 people, is on the brink because of a 19% drop in sterling against the euro since Brexit in June. Almost 90% of Irish mushrooms are exported to the UK, and growers are paid in sterling at fixed prices agreed last year when Brexit was only a cloud on the horizon. Now it is a storm from which there is little escape.

Can you imagine the hoo-hah if a multinational company with 3,500 jobs was in peril? The nation would come to a stop as the Government discussed emergency measures. The jobs the mushroom sector provides are hugely important, as they are scattered around rural areas where alternative employment just doesn’t exist.

It’s not an idle threat – as mushroom grower and IFA horticulture chair Gerry Reilly says, three growers have gone to the wall in the last couple of weeks, with 150 jobs lost.

He paid a return visit to the politicians on Tuesday evening, addressing the ever-busy Oireachtas agriculture committee. Reilly said a further half-dozen growers are on the brink, and appealed for a measure reducing the PRSI bill for growers.

Mushrooms are a labour- intensive business, with employees accounting for 40% of costs, so this small measure might make all the difference.

Committee members were supportive – Leitrim TD Martin Kenny (Sinn Féin) even revealed he worked in the sector, and will meet with the ministers for finance and agriculture prior to the budget.

The Taoiseach made all the right noises following the Brexit vote. This is the acid test of his resolve to ensure small Irish businesses are not the victims of Farage, Boris Johnson, and the British voters.