Series 33
Programme 6 – 7:00pm Thursday 11th December, 2025
RTÉ One – 1:10pm Repeated Sunday 14th December 2025
Trespass
In February 2024, farmer Edward Butler, from Danesfort in Co. Kilkenny spotted three men with dogs coming from one of the fields where he was keeping sheep. When he approached them he was threatened.
Unfortunately what happened to Edward can be typical of some of the frequent interactions between landowners and trespassers. In most cases landowners walk away and don’t report the incident. But Edward didn’t do that. Instead he reported what had happened, and a court case followed.
For Ear to the Ground, he tells Ella Mc Sweeney his story, and the changes he would like to see to the laws around trespass.
Mackerel
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has recommended a drastic 70% cut to the EU’s mackerel quota for 2026.
Donegal Fisher, Martín Éanna Ó Conghaile, who relies on mackerel for 60% of his annual turnover, fears that this latest cut could put him, and many others out of business.
Stephen Robb spends the day in Killibegs with Martín and others to find out more about what this proposed cut could mean for the future of Ireland’s fishing industry.
Ai Scanner
With so much talk about artificial intelligence reshaping the world of work, a lot of people are feeling AI touching their collars when it comes to having a job in the future. But one Cork man – Dan Ryan, who has spent the last 40 years scanning cattle for pregnancy, is meeting AI head-on.
Darragh Mc Cullough spent the day with Dan to see how this new technology he’s developing works.
Ear to the Ground is produced by indiepics for RTÉ.