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EAR TO THE GROUND

Ear to the Ground prog 13, Tuesday 2nd February Presenter Ella McSweeney with abbatoir owner Ronan Byrne Image Name: Ear to the Ground prog 13, Tuesday 2nd February Presenter Ella McSweeney with abbatoir owner Ronan Byrne Description: Ear to the Ground prog 13, Tuesday 2nd February Presenter Ella McSweeney with abbatoir owner Ronan Byrne

Ear To The Ground (Series 23, Programme 13) Tuesday 2nd February 2016 RTÉ One 8.30pm

 

Migrant Workers in Agriculture

Ireland has become a culturally diverse nation following the multitude of immigrants in recent years, and controversy is never far from the issue of migrant workers. The agricultural and food industries are major employers of immigrants who are often considered to be lowly and unfairly paid. Ear to the Ground’s Darragh McCullough employs a number of migrant workers at his daffodil growing enterprise on Elmgrove Farm and strongly promotes equal rights. Grainne O’Toole of the Migrant Rights Centre came along to the farm to discuss working options in Ireland.

 

Killing Time- Can local abattoirs survive?

There was once a time when every town and village had its own abattoir. Today the meat industry is dominated by larger export-oriented processing plants and livestock must be transported long distances for slaughter. Ronan Byrne, a small farmer from East Galway, has bucked the trend by building his own abattoir, but the challenges were there in the form of strict food safety standards and a need for heavy investment. Ella McSweeney asks if the regulations are too strict, or if there is a way that local abattoirs can survive.

 

Comeragh Mountain Lamb

Waterford man William Drohan, splits his days between dairy farming on one side of the Comeragh Mountains at Mahon Falls and sheep farming on the other side at Rathgormack. The methods of farming passed down over six generations haven’t changed much, but Willie wanted to do something different. Tired of sending his high quality lamb to meat factories, Willie decided to branch out and sell his lamb independently. During the summer Helen Carroll spent a day with Willie on the Comeragh mountains to find out just what makes his meat so special.

 

Ear to the Ground is produced for RTÉ by Independent Pictures.

Series Producer – John Cummins

Presenters – Darragh McCullough, Helen Carroll, Ella McSweeney Directors – Paula Williams, Liam Lavelle Executive Producer for RTÉ – Ray McCarthy

 

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