RTÉ News Announces New Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Correspondent
RTÉ News is pleased to announce the appointment of Joe Mag Raollaigh as its new Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Correspondent. Currently the Editor of RTÉ’s flagship political programme The Week in Politics, Joe has worked with RTÉ News across radio, television and online since 2008.
A fluent Irish speaker, Joe will report in both English and Irish, contributing to RTÉ News’ digital, television and radio output, including Nuacht RTÉ & Nuacht TG4.
Joe hails from Oranmore in Co. Galway. He was born in Boston, where his parents had emigrated in the 1960s, but the family returned in the early 70s and settled once again in Co. Galway. He attended NUI Galway where he earned a BA, an MA in Modern Irish and a Higher Diploma in Applied Communications.
He started his broadcasting career in Clare FM, hosting current affairs and farming radio shows before moving to TG4 after it was set up in 1996. In 2004 he was appointed Political Correspondent for TG4 and Nuacht RTÉ, reporting from Leinster House. From 2008 while reporting for RTÉ News, he continued to make Irish language reports for Nuacht TG4 and occasionally presented a current affairs program on RTÉ Radio na Gaeltachta. He has also held the role as Editor for RTÉ’s Leaders Questions and European Parliament Report programmes.
Speaking after his announcement as RTÉ’s new Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Correspondent, Joe Mag Raollaigh said he is excited to take on the role. “Farmers in Ireland are facing unprecedented challenges as they try and adapt to new environmental targets, rising costs and evolving consumer sentiment while still producing the high-quality food vital for us all. It’s a time of change for us as consumers too, with inflation cutting deep into many household budgets. Value for money in goods and services is more important than ever. I look forward to bringing comprehensive coverage of these issues and more to RTÉ audiences across online, radio and television in the years ahead.”
Joe will be commencing his new role in February and will work out of RTÉ’s Western Regional Studios in Galway.
RTÉ JOE MAG RAOLLAIGH FÓGARTHA AG RTÉ INA CHOMHFHREAGRAÍ NUA TALMHAÍOCHTA AGUS GNÓTHAÍ TOMHALTÓIRÍ
Tá áthas ar RTÉ a fhógairt go bhfuil Joe Mag Raollaigh ceaptha ina Chomhfhreagraí nua Talmhaíochta agus Gnóthaí Tomhaltóirí. I láthair na huaire is é Joe eagarthóir chlár suaiteanta polaitíochta RTÉ The Week in Politics. Tá sé ag obair le Nuacht RTÉ ar an raidió, ar an teilifís agus ar líne ón mbliain 2008 i leith.
Ina chainteoir líofa Gaeilge, beidh Joe ag tuairisciú i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge araon, ag cur le hábhar RTÉ News i bhfoirm dhigiteach, ar an teilifís agus ar an raidió, Nuacht RTÉ agus Nuacht TG4 san áireamh.
Is as Órán Mór, Co. na Gaillimhe do Joe. Rugadh i mBostún é, áit a ndeachaigh a thuismitheoirí ar imirce sna 1960idí, ach d’fhill an teaghlach go luath sna 1970idí agus chuir siad fúthu arís i gCo. na Gaillimhe. D’fhreastail sé ar OÉ Gaillimh, áit ar bhain sé amach BA, MA sa Nua-Ghaeilge agus Ard-Dioplóma sa Chumarsáid Fheidhmeach.
Chuir sé tús lena ghairm chraoltóireachta in Clare FM, áit ar chuir sé cláracha cúrsaí reatha agus feirmeoireachta i láthair sular bhog sé go TG4 tar éis bhunú an stáisiúin sa bhliain 1996. Ceapadh é ina Chomhfhreagraí Polaitíochta do TG4 agus Nuacht RTÉ sa bhliain 2004, tráth a mbíodh sé ag tuairisciú ó Theach Laighean. Fad a bhí sé ag tuairisciú do RTÉ News ón mbliain 2008 ar aghaidh, lean sé air ag déanamh tuairiscí Gaeilge do Nuacht TG4 agus chuir sé clár cúrsaí reatha i láthair ó am go chéile ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Bhí ról an Eagarthóra aige do na cláracha Leaders Questions agus European Parliament Report chomh maith.
Ag labhairt dó tar éis fhógra RTÉ faoina cheapachán i bpost an Chomhfhreagraí Talmhaíochta agus Gnóthaí Tomhaltóirí, dúirt Joe Mag Raollaigh go bhfuil sé ag súil go mór leis an ról a ghlacadh. “Tá dúshláin nach bhfacthas riamh cheana roimh fheirmeoirí in Éirinn de réir mar atá siad ag iarraidh dul i dtaithí ar spriocanna nua maidir leis an gcomhshaol, costais atá ag ardú agus dearcadh na dtomhaltóirí a bhíonn ag athrú, fad atá an bia ardchaighdeáin a dteastaíonn uainn ar fad á tháirgeadh acu fós. Is tréimhse athraithe é seo dúinn inár dtomhaltóirí freisin, tráth a bhfuil boilsciú ag dul go mór i bhfeidhm ar go leor buiséad teaghlaigh. Tá tábhacht níos mó ná riamh ag baint le luach ar airgead maidir le hearraí agus seirbhísí. Tá mé ag súil le clúdach cuimsitheach a dhéanamh ar na saincheisteanna sin agus a thuilleadh nach iad do lucht féachana RTÉ ar líne, ar an raidió agus ar an teilifís sna blianta atá amach romhainn.”
Beidh Joe ag dul i mbun a phoist nua i mí Feabhra agus is as Stiúideo RTÉ Réigiún an Iarthair i nGaillimh a bheidh sé ag obair.