Health « Thurles Information

Food Allergen Alerts.

Undeclared hazelnuts in a batch of Homebake Cakes 6 Luxury Assorted Cupcakes.

Alert Summary dated Wednesday, February 11th 2026.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2026.A06.
Allergen: Nuts (hazelnuts).
Product Identification: Homebake Cakes 6 Luxury Assorted Cupcakes; pack size: 450g.
Batch Code: 6864; best before date: 20/03/2026.

Message: The above batch of Homebake Cakes 6 Luxury Assorted Cupcakes contains nuts (hazelnuts) which is not declared in the list of ingredients. This may make the batch unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of nuts (hazelnuts) and therefore, these consumers should not eat the implicated batch.

The affected batch is being recalled.

Recall Of Mauri Formaggi Taleggio Bon Ta’leggio D.O.P. Cheese.

Recall of a batch of Mauri Formaggi Taleggio Bon Ta’leggio D.O.P. cheese due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Alert Summary dated Wednesday, February 11th 2026.

Category 1: For Action.
Alert Notification: 2026.06.
Product Identification: Mauri Formaggi Taleggio Bon Ta’leggio D.O.P.; pack size: 200g.
Batch Code: 4564914; use-by: 02.03.2026.
Country Of Origin: Italy.

Message: The above batch of Mauri Formaggi Taleggio Bon Ta’leggio D.O.P. is being recalled, due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale.

Nature Of Danger: Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications. Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly. The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average 3 weeks but can range between 3 and 70 days.

Action Required: Retailers, Consumers.
Retailers: Same are requested to remove the implicated batch from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.
Consumers: Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batch.

FSAI Reports Closure Order Served On Tipperary Foodstore.

Closure Order served on Bansha foodstore as FSAI reports four January closures.

A food business in Bansha, Co Tipperary has been served with a Closure Order after an inspection found unsafe food being held for sale or supply past its ‘use by’ date, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has confirmed.

The order was served by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive on 19th January 2026 on O’Connell’s Foodstore, under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.

What the Closure Order means for the Bansha premises.
The notice relates specifically to the holding of foods labelled with ‘use by’ dates for the purpose of sale or supply. (It does not restrict the sale or supply of foods labelled with a ‘best before’ date.)
The FSAI said one of the reasons for enforcement action during January included unsafe food placed on the market that was past its ‘use by’ dates.

FSAI: “No excuse for bad practice”.
Commenting on the January enforcement list, FSAI chief executive Mr Greg Dempsey said inspectors are continuing to find recurring problems, including poor hygiene and pest issues, and stressed that a robust food safety management system and a clean premises are basic legal requirements.

Other January Closure Orders (briefly).
The FSAI report also lists three other businesses served with Closure Orders in January:

The Shamrock Lodge (kitchen only), Finglas, Dublin 11.
White Sands Hotel (small ground-floor kitchen), Portmarnock, Co Dublin.
Chillers Restaurant and Lounge, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

The FSAI notes that details of enforcement orders are published on its website, and that Closure Orders and Improvement Orders remain listed for a period after issues found are corrected.

Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service – Free Smoke Alarms & Installation For Over-65s.

Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging people aged 65 and over to apply for a free smoke alarm and installation under the Community Smoke Alarm Scheme, aimed at protecting the most vulnerable households across the county.

The scheme targets those at greatest risk in the event of a house fire, including older people, people living alone and residents in isolated rural areas, by providing and fitting smoke alarms where needed.

Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service said it is working to increase the number of smoke alarms in homes countywide, with the goal of ensuring a minimum of two working smoke alarms in every home.

A spokesperson said: “Smoke alarms provide an early warning that can save lives. We are urging households, particularly those with older residents or anyone living alone, to apply and to make sure their alarms are working.”

National fire safety advice consistently stresses that many fatal fires occur in homes without a working smoke alarm, underlining the importance of fitting and maintaining alarms.

How to apply.
Application forms: Same are available online through Tipperary County Council and can be returned by email or by post/hand delivery.
Email: smokealarms@tipperarycoco.ie
Post/Hand delivery: Smoke Alarms, Fire Service HQ, Nenagh Fire Station, Limerick Road, Nenagh

Simple safety checks
Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service is also reminding households to:

Ensure there are at least two working smoke alarms, including one on each level of the home.
Keep exits clear and have an escape plan.

For general council contact details, see Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service information pages HERE.

HSE In Talks With Bon Secours Limerick To Ease Peak-Time Pressure At UHL.

The HSE has confirmed ongoing discussions with Bon Secours Hospital Limerick on a proposal that would allow appropriate medical patients to be transferred from University Hospital Limerick (UHL) during periods of peak demand, in a bid to relieve chronic overcrowding.

Under the proposed arrangement, patients would be treated and cared for in Bon Secours Limerick as the private hospital continues the phased opening and expansion of services at its new facility, which is reported as a €213 million development.

UHL remains the region’s only 24-hour Emergency Department, serving a catchment of more than 400,000 people across North Tipperary, Limerick, Clare and parts of Cork and Kerry.

Current position
In a statement, Bon Secours said: “As the new Bon Secours Hospital Limerick opens an additional ward, discussions are being finalised to support the public system in providing care for several medical patients from University Hospital Limerick.”

The HSE Mid West said it has been in discussions with Bon Secours “about transfer of appropriate patients… to alleviate pressure on UHL during periods of peak demand”, adding that it hopes an agreement will be finalised “in the coming weeks”.

Overcrowding context
Latest figures, reported this week, show UHL continuing to account for the highest numbers of patients awaiting admission. On Friday, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation reported 107 patients on trolleys and in other inappropriate spaces at UHL, while the HSE’s TrolleyGAR, reporting, indicated 55 admitted patients waiting on trolleys at the hospital.

Overcrowding has persisted despite recent expansion works, including the official opening of a €105 million 96-bed block at the UHL campus in October 2025.

Background and longer-term planning
The current pressure on UHL is widely linked to the mid-west reconfiguration in 2009, which saw 24-hour emergency departments closed and services centralised, including in Ennis, Co. Clare and Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, as well as St John’s Hospital Limerick.

The Government has also recently indicated it will progress a “blend” of options advised by HIQA to address urgent and emergency care capacity in the region, following its review, as outlined by Minister Ms Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.