Across:
1 It's not worth the effort (A FAT LOT OF GOOD) producing quality butter, presumably, as the marketeers see it (A FAT LOT OF GOOD),
10 See 25 across
11 Recalls (= reverse indicator) Q&A (QA = -AQ) with local Yank (tear/rip = -P-IR-) about old (-O-) songwriter, the last (‘songwriteR’ the last = -R-) (PRO-IRAQ) favouring Hit not a million miles from Rivers of Babylon? (favouring the Iraqi city Hit ... = PRO-IRAQ),
12 Heads of lettuce in Oriental (heads/first letters ‘Of Lettuce In Oriental’ = OLIO) stew (OLIO),
13 Course starting (‘Course’ starting = C-) with exam (-ORAL exam) (CORAL) referring to what’s on reef (CORAL),
15 Star (NOVA) recalls (= reverse indicator) the extremes of a vivid imagination (the extremes of ‘A Vivid imaginatiON’ = avon = NOVA),
17 A number (TEN) caught up (= reverse indicator) in online trading (caught in ‘onliNE Trading’ = net = TEN),
19 Render defenceless (DISARM) with Garda’s (DI’s = DIS-) gun (-ARM) (DISARM),
21 Union action (PICKET) to remove ants from septic tank (remove ‘ants’ from ‘septic tank’ = epictk = PICKET),
22 One (I-) is free (-RID-) to contact institute (-I-) that has, well … (hesitation = -UM) (IRIDIUM) a hard element (IRIDIUM),
23 Covered up (= reverse indicator) by Swiss or Cypriots’ (covered by ‘swiSS OR CYpriots’ = ssorcy = Y-CROSS) type of crucifix (Y-CROSS),
25 Yours truly (SETTER) joins 32 down (‘says’ = SAYS), 10 across (‘goodbye’ = GOODBYE), 16 down (‘Irish’ = IRISH), 18 down (‘times’ = TIMES) and 14 down (‘readers’ = READERS) (SETTER SAYS GOODBYE IRISH TIMES READERS) in saying this is so long ... from me to you (SETTER SAYS GOODBYE IRISH TIMES READERS),
27 Job in the abbey (job/part in The Abbey Theatre) starting off (p) (‘part’ without ‘p’ = ART) for crafty type (ART),
29 Watered down (WEAK) in barrels coming from lawbreakers (‘barrels’ coming from ‘lawbreakers’ = weak = WEAK),
30 In a state (UPSET) of shock? (UPSET),
31 Taken in by Mafia women (taken in by ‘maFIA Women’ = fiaw) raising (= reverse indicator) (fiaw = WAIF) abandoned child (WAIF),
34 The German (‘the’ German = der) backing (= reverse indicator) (der = RED) Maine (Maine) State (= homophone indicator) (‘maine’ = ‘mane’ = HAIR) (RED HAIR) synonymous with colourful type at the top (RED HAIR),
35 Letter synonymous with Paul (letter synonymous with St Paul = ESPISTLE) Lee’s tip (lees tip) off (= anagram indicator)? (lees tip = EPISTLE),
36 Presumably, the paper of record didn’t produce this (A TISSUE OF LIES) cock-and-bull story (A TISSUE OF LIES).
Down:
2 Game (FROLIC-) starter with salted (starter with 'Salted' = -S) (FROLICS) capers (FROLICS),
3 Dramatically in short, it’s curtains (theatre curtains/tableau curtains = tabs = TABS) for some baker’s batch/turnover (= reverse indicator) (some ‘bakerS BATch’ = sbat = TABS),
4 Wild cat (OCELOT) strike at foundation (‘strikE’ at foundation = -E-) after (= position indicator) firm (Co) puts up (= reverse indicator) (Co = OC-) unit for auction (-LOT), (OCELOT),
5 Chairperson ignores cries (‘chairperson’ ignores ‘cries’ = hapron = ORPHAN) from Oliver (ORPHAN),
6 Obtain from rowing boat (‘obtain’ from ‘rowing boat’ = rwgo = GROW) to shoot up (GROW),
7 Sounds like one of The Lions (roar) losing the head (r) (‘roar’ without ‘r’ = OAR-) is the one bound to be picked (-LOCK) (OARLOCK) – a crafty type essential in a Row (OARLOCK),
8 Should one be proud of Labour after this (A GOOD DAY’S WORK), as it gives the jobless no satisfaction? (A GOOD DAY’S WORK),
9 25 per cent of those (QUARTER) in Automobile Association (AA = A A-) fret (fret) going on tour (= anagram indicator) (fret = -FTER) (A QUARTER AFTER) 15 minutes late behind schedule (A QUARTER AFTER),
14 See 25 across
16 See 25 across
18 See 25 across
20 Address (MRS) tone from mentors (‘tone’ from ‘mentors’ = mrs = MRS),
21 Sign of infection (PUS) on the rise (= reverse indicator) in marsupials? (in ‘marSUPials’ = sup = PUS),
24 Look at the books again (RE-AUDIT) in study (read = RE-A-D-) overlooking university (-U-) and institute (Institute of Technology = -IT-) (RE-AUDIT),
26 Sandwich (TOASTIE) with brown bread (to ‘brown’ bread is to TOAST- it) from Ireland (.ie = -IE) (TOASTIE),
27 Illuminating comment (APERCU) from a (A-) college (-C-) in South American country (Peru = -PER-U) (APERCU),
28 Shipworm (TEREDO) produced by odd characters in The Green (odd characters in ‘ThE gReEn = TERE-) Party (-DO) (TEREDO),
32 See 25 across
33 Stay away from play list (‘stay’ away from ‘play list’ = plli = PILL) from Tablet (tablet/pill = PILL).