Francess McDonnell

Francess McDonnell Profile Picture

Francess McDonnell is an award-winning journalist and producer with significant experience in covering agriculture, agri-business and business issues. She has worked with the Irish Times, Sunday Times Ireland, Sky News Ireland, BBC Northern Ireland and the Belfast Telegraph and Irish News. Her family has farmed for generations and is part of a rural, lough-shore community where her interest in farming, agri-business and rural issues first began. She is a graduate of De Montfort University, Leicester and the School of Journalism, Cardiff University.

Glanbia exits Rabobank’s Global Dairy Top 20 list
Glanbia exits Rabobank’s Global Dairy Top 20 list

Glanbia has been ejected from Rabobank’s annual Global Dairy Top 20 report which ranks the financial performance of the world’s...

New An Bord Pleanála appointments should ‘speed up’ decisions – senator
New An Bord Pleanála appointments should ‘speed up’ decisions – senator

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, today (Monday, August, 26) confirmed that he has temporarily increased the maximum...

Weather warning: ‘Heavy and persistent rain’ on way for 6 counties
Weather warning: ‘Heavy and persistent rain’ on way for 6 counties

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow weather warning for six counties that will come into effect tomorrow (Monday, August 26)...

Met Éireann issues Status Yellow rain warning for Co. Donegal
Met Éireann issues Status Yellow rain warning for Co. Donegal

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow weather warning for Co. Donegal which will remain in place until 3:00 p.m...

Independent Ireland set to unveil election manifesto at first party ‘think-in’
Independent Ireland set to unveil election manifesto at first party ‘think-in’

Independent Ireland will officially unveil its general election manifesto at the party’s first ‘think-in’, which will take place today (Saturday,...

Watch: Canny skills at the 2024 Irish National Sheep Dog trials
Watch: Canny skills at the 2024 Irish National Sheep Dog trials

The planning, the practice and perhaps some last minute nerves were all put to bed as the 2024 Irish National...

New EPA report warns ‘nitrate concentrations remain too high’
New EPA report warns ‘nitrate concentrations remain too high’

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that nitrate concentrations remain “too high” in rivers, groundwater...

Fonterra raises forecast milk price and pledges farmers will be ‘paid more earlier’
Fonterra raises forecast milk price and pledges farmers will be ‘paid more earlier’

New Zealand’s largest dairy company, the Fonterra Co-operative Group, has lifted its forecast milk price for the 2024/25 season and...

Dairy farmers cannot become ‘fall guys’ in China/EU row farm org cautions
Dairy farmers cannot become ‘fall guys’ in China/EU row farm org cautions

Irish dairy farmers cannot become the “fall guys” in a looming trade dispute between China and the European Union (EU),...

Cowen pledges to work on ‘derogation’ in EU AGRI committee role
Cowen pledges to work on ‘derogation’ in EU AGRI committee role

The Fianna Fáil MEP for Midlands North West, Barry Cowen, has pledged to use his membership of the European Parliament’s...

Govt delay to RZLT broadly welcomed but criticised by Sinn Féin 
Govt delay to RZLT broadly welcomed but criticised by Sinn Féin 

Farmers will be “reassured” today (Tuesday, August 20) by the government’s decision to delay the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT)...

Queen’s Brian May to explore ‘real source of TB spread’ in tv documentary
Queen’s Brian May to explore ‘real source of TB spread’ in tv documentary

Queen guitarist and wildlife activist, Brian May sets out to “get to the truth about Bovine TB, cattle, and badgers”...

Bord Bia to highlight new UK rules for Irish exporters at workshops
Bord Bia to highlight new UK rules for Irish exporters at workshops

Bord Bia has warned Irish food and drink exporters to the UK that they will need to “comply with additional...

Green fertiliser developer, Atome, reports interim losses of US$2.8m
Green fertiliser developer, Atome, reports interim losses of US$2.8m

Atome, the developer of green fertiliser projects, has reported a loss of US$2.8 million for the first half of 2024. The...

Proposed water charge increases ‘another drain on farms’ – Kenny
Proposed water charge increases ‘another drain on farms’ – Kenny

Uisce Éireann’s proposals to increase water and wastewater charges from October 1 will be ” another drain on farms and...

Tirlán increases milk price for July by 1.75c/L
Tirlán increases milk price for July by 1.75c/L

Tirlán has today (Friday, August 16) confirmed an increase in the price it will pay for July supplies. The Kilkenny...

Public consultation on GAP amendments to ‘commence shortly’
Public consultation on GAP amendments to ‘commence shortly’

Amendments to the European Union (EU) Good Agricultural Practice for Protections of Waters Regulations (GAP) have yet to be finalised...

HSA recruiting senior inspector following Griffin’s retirement
HSA recruiting senior inspector following Griffin’s retirement

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is currently recruiting for a new senior inspector following the retirement of Pat Griffin...