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Turkey Timing Panic.

Not sure how long your turkey should be in the oven. Don’t stress, instead simply visit HERE

The Safefood website offer a turkey cooking timer calculator and a whole host of other handy tips on how to cook, store and reheat food this festive season.

Happy Christmas.

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Free Walk-in Clinics for Children to Receive Nasal Flu Vaccine.

Due to a significant increase in flu cases, the Health Service Executive (HSE) are offering free walk-in clinics to administer the nasal flu vaccine for children aged between 2 years-17 years.
Clinics will be available from December 27th to 29th.
Recent data has indicated a surge in influenza cases across all age groups, with children being twice as likely to contract the virus when compared to adults.

Dr. Aparna Keegan, (Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the HSE National Immunisation Office), emphasizes the importance of parents getting their children vaccinated. The vaccine not only protects young children from the effects of the flu, but also helps prevent the spread of the virus within families and communities.

The nasal flu vaccine can still be obtained from GP practices and pharmacies participating. Additionally, the HSE continues to provide the free nasal spray flu vaccine to children in Senior Infants and all children in Primary Age Special Schools.

According to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the number of confirmed influenza cases notified to HPSC has increased in the past week, with 283 confirmed influenza cases notified in week 49 (week ending December 10th) and 170 cases reported in week 48 (week ending December 3rd).
During week 49, 2023, influenza increased in almost all age groups but mainly in those aged 0-4 years.

The common symptoms of flu in children include high temperature, muscle pains, headache, and extreme tiredness.

The locations of the clinics are as follows:

  1. TipperaryThurles Primary Care Centre, Mitchell Street, Thurles on December 28th, from 11:00am3:00pm.
  2. LimerickGreat National South Court Hotel, Raheen Gardens, Raheen, Limerick on December 27th, from 11:00am4:00pm.
  3. ClareEnnis Primary Care Centre, Station Road, Ennis on December 28th, from 10:00am – 2:00pm.

For a list of participating pharmacies, please visit the Flu Finder website.

This initiative by the HSE aims to combat the rising flu cases and ensure the well-being of children during this flu season. Getting vaccinated remains the most effective way to protect against the flu virus.

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Keep Your Money Safe This Festive Season.

The Allied Irish Bank Fraud Prevention Unit (Mr Tom Mullen) points to the ‘Seven Deadly Scams currently known to be in operation during this festive Xmas season; warning that criminals don’t take holidays and are finding smarter ways to steal your money.

Hereunder, the Allied Irish Bank Fraud Prevention Unit point out just seven of the ways to avoid being scammed this Xmas holiday period.

Being bombarded with texts containing links?
Don’t click on that link. Take a moment and ask yourself does this seem legitimate. If in doubt, contact the sender on a verified number to check its legitimacy.

Taxi collecting your card?
AIB will never send a taxi or courier to collect your physical card, PIN, or any security details. Always keep these details in your possession.

Offer to fix your PC?
A helpful caller wants to fix broadband or account issues or give you a refund, but needs to take control of your device. Stop. Do not download software or applications (apps) that can allow a scammer access to your personal device. Never provide one time pass codes or card reader codes to any cold caller.

Investment Opportunity too good to be true?
Then it generally is just that. Be cautious of ads advertising high returns on investments. Make sure that you’re dealing with the real provider. Always verify the provider is regulated and seek independent financial advice before parting with your money.

Checking in on your accounts?
Always login to your account by using our website at AIB.ie or by using our secure Mobile App on your phone. Browsing the internet for login pages can be unsafe and may result in you landing on non-AIB sites.

Security Codes being requested?
Always be cautious when providing codes from your AIB security device. Be familiar with when these are required. Do not provide extra codes when requested out of the blue.

Received an email with payment instructions?
Never make a payment on the back of an email instruction. Verbally confirm the details with the sender on a known and trusted contact number.

Please do discuss the above information with elderly parents, relatives and friends who, because of age, may not be fully IT literate.

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EPA Publishes National Criteria Allowing For Safe Reuse Of Site-won Asphalt.

EPA Publishes National Criteria that allow for the safe reuse of site-won asphalt (road planings) as by-product.

  • The generation of construction and demolition waste needs to vastly reduce: the sector is responsible for over 50 per cent of all of Ireland’s waste.
  • The EPA new national by-product criteria supports the prevention construction waste and instead allows its reuse, as a lower-carbon alternative to virgin materials.
  • National by-product criteria will provide the construction sector with an efficient regulatory process to reuse road planings in the production of consistent and quality road surface products.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published National By-Product Criteria for Site-Won Asphalt (road planings) from road developments.

Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary at 3:15 pm today.

These criteria allow for the classification of road planings as a by-product, meaning it is not waste. The by-product can subsequently be used or placed on the market in the same way as virgin material. These criteria support waste prevention and facilitate the reuse of materials in new construction projects, in line with the circular economy.

There is a strong demand for secondary construction products in Ireland to support development of new infrastructure with a low carbon footprint. The criteria allow used asphalt to be remanufactured into new bituminous products for road building.

Commenting on the criteria, Mr David Flynn, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability, said: “The publication of national by-product criteria for site-won asphalt is an important step for the ‘greening’ of Ireland’s construction industry.
The criteria will support waste prevention and circular economy ambitions, by tackling the generation of construction waste, the largest waste stream in the country, while encouraging the reuse of materials.
This is the type of progress needed if Ireland is to move in a meaningful way from the linear to the circular economy.”

The criteria provide a simple way to assess materials for re-use, and will support green procurement ambitions for road development projects.

Mr Warren Phelan, Programme Manager of the EPA’s Circular Economy Programme noted: “The publication of the national criteria show the EPA’s commitment to streamlining the regulation to support secondary products. The shift away from the assessment of case-by-case applications to national criteria, which is available to all producers, offers more regulatory certainty to the stakeholders involved. These criteria will introduce a level playing field for industry and introduce a single set of rules that are easy to implement.”

The EPA calls on relevant stakeholders in the construction sector to adopt and implement the new criteria.

Further information on the national by-product criteria and other initiatives of the circular economy programme are available on the EPA website, HERE.

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Food Safety Conference Explores Food Sustainability

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Food Safety Consultative Council today hosted an open meeting to discuss how food safety interacts with food sustainability. When Food Safety Met Sustainability explored the need to ensure the food system can meet the ever-changing needs of society, while continuing to protect consumers’ health in relation to food safety. Sustainable food systems must have food safety at the forefront of its processes.

Over 200 people registered for the event, which was held in-person for the first time since 2019, with Irish and international speakers from the FSAI, the University of Nottingham, Codex Alimentarius Commission and representatives from Food Cloud, Keohane Seafoods, Cream of The Crop Gelato and Senoptica Technologies LTD.

Chaired by Ms Suzanne Campbell, Author and Journalist, the event also offered insights into how the pursuit of food sustainability is driving innovation, as well as exploring efforts in policy, standards development and regulation, which are shaping the way our food is produced, distributed and consumed. Understanding and recognising that food safety is a key part of sustainability goals, Dr. Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, outlined the importance of food safety remaining front and centre of the necessary journey towards sustainable food systems.

    “Sustainability, the ability to provide for both current and future needs, is an important consideration in food systems. The FSAI is focused on ensuring that food safety and the protection of public health remain at the core of sustainable food systems. The FSAI regards food safety to be an integral part of food sustainability. The European Union has signaled its intentions through the ‘Farm to Fork’ initiative, and Ireland has set out its approach in ‘Food Vision 2030’. As a science-based regulator of food safety, the FSAI is actively engaging with the sustainability agenda in the food-chain. At the FSAI, we continue to explore ways in which we can evolve our regulatory approach to assist consumers in supporting them in making informed choices, and also work with food businesses with the common goal of ensuring the safety of food, in a sustainable manner.”

The open meeting offered members of the public and food businesses an opportunity to engage with the FSAI directly, a point highlighted by Mr Ray Bowe, Chair, Food Safety Consultative Council.

   “The Food Safety Consultative Council always aims to discuss topics that are key in the day-to-day lives of people. It is clear that there is a real desire to explore ways in which food can be produced in a more sustainable manner, and today’s meeting has shown how even small changes can have unexpected consequences, both positive and negative, within food chains. We continue to encourage everyone, including consumers, to embrace the challenges and opportunities in the ways we produce food, while ensuring its safety and nutritional benefits.”

Contributions on the day included Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI; Ray Bowe Chair, Food Safety Consultative Council; Gail Carroll, Directory of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance Building, FSAI; Jack A Bobo, Director Food Systems Institute, University of Nottingham; Karen Capcarrere, Food Safety Manager at FoodCloud; Giselle Makinde, Founder, Cream of The Crop Gelato; Brendan Rice, CEO, Senoptica Technologies Ltd; Liz O’Leary, Head of Innovation, Keohane Seafoods and Steven Wearne, Chairperson of Codex Alimentarius Commission.

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