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FSAI Warn Of A Number Of Products Containing Undeclared Peanut.

Possible presence of peanut in an additional Favourit product and in additional batches of Favourit Cajun Seasoning.

Alert Summary dated Thursday, October 17th, 2024.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2024.A37 (Update 3)
Allergen: Peanut
Product Identification: Favourit Cajun Seasoning; pack size: 40g
Favourit Fajita Seasoning: pack size: 50g
Batch Code: All batch codes and best before dates purchased before 3rd October 2024.

Message: Further to food allergen alerts 2024.A37, 2024.A37 (Update 1) and 2024.A37 (Update 2) all batches and best before dates of Favourit Cajun Seasoning and Favourit Fajita Seasoning may contain peanut. Peanut is not declared in the list of ingredients. This may make the batches unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of peanut.

Presence of peanut in additional product and additional batches of Dunnes Stores spice products.

Alert Summary dated Thursday, October 17th, 2024.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2024.A36 (update 1)
Allergen: Peanut
Product Identification: Dunnes Stores Black Mustard Seeds, pack size: 50g;
Dunnes Stores Mild Curry Powder, pack size: 36g;
Dunnes Stores Cajun Seasoning, pack size: 35g;
Dunnes Stores Medium Madras Curry Powder, pack size: 36g;
Dunnes Stores Hot Curry Powder, pack size: 36g.
Batch Code: All batch codes; all best before dates up to and including end July 2026.

Message: Further to FSAI food allergen alert 2024.A36,
Dunnes Stores is recalling additional batches and an additional spice product (Dunnes Stores Black Mustard Seeds). The implicated batches of Dunnes Stores spice products listed above contain peanut residue in the mustard powder. Peanut is not declared in the list of ingredients. This may make the implicated batches unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of peanut.

Legislation To Streamline, Strengthen & Modernise Gambling Regulation.

  • Legislation will Establish the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland.
  • Introduce a modern and robust licencing and regulatory framework for both in-person and online gambling.
  • Establish a National Gambling Exclusion Register.
  • Introduce tight restrictions on gambling advertising.
  • Introduce a Social Impact Fund to support educational measures and problem gambling treatment activities.
  • CEO Designate of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland has been progressing important preparatory work.

The Gambling Regulation Bill, 2022, has passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas. The legislation sets out the framework and legislative basis for the establishment of a new, independent statutory body, Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, (the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland) and for a modern and robust licencing and regulatory framework for both in-person and online gambling.

Painting by Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), “The Cardsharps.” (painted c.1594).

The Bill provides for the establishment and operation of the National Gambling Exclusion Register and introduces tight restrictions on the advertisement of gambling activities.
It also provides for the creation of a Social Impact Fund to support awareness–raising and educational measures and to support problem gambling treatment activities.

With regard to black market operators, the Bill contains a suite of measures to address illegal or criminal gambling activity and includes explicit prohibitions on illegal activity or practices, some of which could result in significant custodial sentences.

Once the Bill is enacted, the GRAI will be established with a seven-person authority. A Programme Board has been established in the Department of Justice to ensure that the legislation and the operational preparations are progressed in parallel, allowing the Authority to commence operations, on a phased basis, as soon as possible, after enactment and appointment of the Authority members.
Ms Anne Marie Caulfield has been appointed to the role of CEO Designate of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland and has been progressing important preparatory work.

As part of Budget 2025 announced on October 1st last, the GRAI will receive €9.1m in 2025, including €4m of ICT capital investment.

Establishment Of A New Judicial Appointments Commission Announced.

  • New independent Commission will select and recommend candidates for all judicial offices in Ireland and in EU and international courts.
  • A new application and interview process will apply to all judicial vacancies.
  • Candidates will be required to undergo continuous professional development.

Legislation providing for the establishment of the Judicial Appointments Commission on 1st January 2025 has commenced today. This marks the most substantial reform in the way judges are chosen for appointment in almost thirty years.
The Judicial Appointments Commission Act establishes a new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission to select and recommend persons for all judicial offices in Ireland; in the EU and International courts.

The new reforms provided for, include:

  • Reduction in the number of recommendations: 3 candidates to be recommended for a vacancy and an additional 2 recommendations for a second and additional vacancies. For example, this would mean 7 recommendations for 3 vacancies.
  • Only candidates recommended by the Judicial Appointments Commission to be nominated by the Government for appointment by the President.
  • All judicial posts, whether a first appointment or a promotion from another court will be governed by the procedure.
  • Interviews: For the first time, all nominees will have been interviewed.
  • Diversity: The Commission will have the objective that membership of the judiciary should reflect the diversity of the population as a whole.
  • Continuous Professional Development: Candidates will be required to show they have undertaken judicial training or continuous professional development.
  • The Judicial Appointments Commission will set out best practice selection procedures including interviews and the knowledge, skills and attributes required of judges.

Commission Membership.
Membership of the Judicial Appointments Commission, which will be chaired by Chief Justice, The Hon. Mr. Justice Donal O’Donnell and will include:-
The Hon. Ms. Justice Caroline Costello, (President of the Court of Appeal).
Attorney General Rossa Fanning (SC).
The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Rose Gearty, (High Court).
Judge Alan Mitchell, (District Court).
Ms. Bernie Gray, (Human Resources and Governance expert).
Dr. Eleanor O’Higgins, (Adjunct Associate Professor, College of Business, University College Dublin and Associate, London School of Economics and Political Science).
Dr. Rónán Kennedy, (Associate Professor in the School of Law, University of Galway).
Dr. Terrence McWade, (Former CEO of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland).

The Judicial Appointments Commission will be established from January 1st, 2025.

The Pilgrim.

The Pilgrim.

Lyrics and Vocals: American country music singer, songwriter and actor; sadly the recently deceased Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024).

The Pilgrim.

See him wasted on the side walk in his jacket and his jeans,
Wearing yesterday’s misfortunes like a smile.
Once he had a future full of money love and dreams,
Which he spent like they was going out of style.
And he keeps right on a changing for the better or the worse,
Searching for a shrine he’s never found,
Never knowing if believing is a blessing or a curse,
Or if the going up is worth to coming down.
He’s a poet he’s a picker he’s a prophet he’s a pusher,
He’s a pilgrim and a preacher and a problem when he’s stoned.
He’s a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
Taking every wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
He has tasted good and evil in your bedrooms and your bars,
And he’s traded in tomorrow for today.
Running from his devils Lord and reaching for the stars,
And losing all he loved along the way.
But if this world keeps right on turning for the better or the worse,
All he ever gets is older and around.
From the rocking of the cradle to the rolling of the hearse,
The going up was worth the coming down.
He’s a poet he’s a picker he’s a prophet he’s a pusher,
He’s a pilgrim and a preacher and a problem when he’s stoned.
He’s a walking contradiction partly truth and partly fiction,
Taking every wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
There’s lotta wrong directions on that lonely way back home.

END

Are Thurles Supermarket Retailing Inevitable Death?

Breast cancer awareness month 2024 began on Tuesday, October 1st and will continue until Thursday October 31st next.

All Irish Supermarkets, over the past two years, have significantly increased their retail prices on many items and yes, to my thinking, both breast cancer and Supermarket products are both inextricably linked, presently leaving both impossible to disentangle or separate.

My focus here in Thurles today was attracted to a product offered in plastic wrapping, containing 5 Bockwurst Sausages, (asking price €4.29). The product is manufactured by the German firm Dulano, latter who claim ‘Farm to fork” traceability.

Bockwurst is a German sausage traditionally made from ground pork or veal, but tending more towards veal. Bockwurst is flavoured with salt, white pepper and paprika. Other herbs, such as marjoram, chives and parsley, are also often added and in Germany, Bockwurst is often smoked as well.

Nowadays, it can be purchased all year round almost everywhere in Germany, in butcher’s shops, cheaper restaurants, snack bars, food booths, some bakeries and even gas stations.
Here in Thurles Co. Tipperary it can be purchased from the German International discount retailer chain Lidl, same which operate over 12,000 stores within the European Union.

Yuka Application: View HERE
Using the 100% independent, free ‘Yuka App’, which it is now imperative for everyone shopping in supermarkets to download to their smart phones, (because of its welcome ability to decipher product labels, while analysing the health impact of most food products and cosmetics, via their barcode,) we are disappointed and alarmed to learn the following information:-

On the ‘Yuka App’, the Bockwurst Sausages product is declared ‘BAD’, and is rated at 0 out of 100, because of two hazardous additives, plus containing two much fat, and two much sodium.

The two hazardous preservatives are identified as being (1) Sodium Nitrite, (2) Diphosphates,

(1) Sodium Nitrite: Sodium nitration is hazardous and when combined with certain foods, nitrites may contribute to the development of nitrosamines, compounds classified by the international agency for research on cancer (IARC) as “probably carcinogenic to humans”.
In 2022 the French agency for food environmental and occupational health and safety (ANSES) confirmed the carcinogenic and genotoxic effects of these compounds and recommended limiting the use of nitrate/nitrite additions in food products.

(2) Diphosphates: (Texturizing agent). Phosphate contains phosphorus a chemical element that is essential to the body. However excess phosphorus can disrupt bone mineralization; damage the kidneys, and increased the risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer the (EFSA) European food safety has indicated that phosphorus consumption exceeds the safe level of intake for part of the population.

This is just one of many products to be found in each of our Thurles supermarkets, placed there with no regard for consumers health; and retailed solely to generate massive profits.

We wonder why cancer is rapidly increasing and why our Irish hospitals are continuously overcrowded! The answer is most likely to be found in the food products located on our supermarket shelves, ignored by a VAT greedy government.