Richard Downes

Prime Time Editor

Who will win the Brexit election?

'Who do you think will win the election?' It was the most common question Richard Downes was asked on his road trip from the North-east of England to London as he attempted to catch the mood of this odd UK winter ballot.

Prime Time • 05 Dec 19

In the last few months, 42 vaping-related deaths have been reported in the US

To vape or not to vape: Conflicting views on e-cigarettes

Tens of thousands of us have given up tobacco cigarettes and taken up vaping. For most of us, it was based on the idea that vaping had to be better for health than burning a leaf wrapped in paper, right?

Prime Time • 19 Nov 19

Prime Time's Richard Downes joined the crew of a working trawler fishing in Irish and British waters

The catch facing fishermen in choppy Brexit waters

Life aboard a trawler is extremely difficult. Now fishermen are warning it may soon become impossible as they are driven out of British waters and the entire EU fleet is driven into the seas around Ireland.

Prime Time • 15 Oct 19

It has yet to be confirmed whether Donald Trump will be visiting Ireland next month

Govt yet to receive confirmation over Trump visit

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that it is liaising closely with US officials, but has not yet received confirmation that President Donald Trump will be visiting Ireland this year.

Politics • 14 May 19

Beef prices are now back to where they were in 2011 and farmers say they are raising the beef that we eat for nothing

Unrest growing among beef farmers as prices drop

Disquiet is on the rise among beef farmers as prices drop and farmers continue to lose money, reports Richard Downes from RTÉ's Prime Time.

Prime Time • 07 Mar 19

How hard is it to get through a hard border?

Richard Downes on a Brexit roll at the Swiss border

The Swiss border is the nearest border between the EU and a country outside the Customs Union. So just how hard is it to get through?

Prime Time • 26 Sep 18

The long road into and out of Gaza

RTÉ's former Middle East correspondent Richard Downes describes the border crossing into Gaza.

World • 19 May 18

By moving its embassy the US is recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. No other major country does.

A week of challenges in the Middle East

When you say that it will be a turbulent week in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, you can often think: "Yea, sure. What's new?"

Israel • 14 May 18

RTÉ's Prime Time surveyed the spending plans of 42 organisations

Survey reveals groups' plans on referendum spending

Pro-retain groups expect to spend more than €1.5m in the forthcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.

Eighth Amendment • 16 Mar 18

The year of the Latino

Americans love their labels. Millennials, baby-boomers, swing voters. In such a big country, it is a useful shorthand to describe cross-sections of society and is often a shortcut that everyone in the country will recognise.

analysis and comment • 09 Nov 16