Health « Thurles Information

Water Quality In Ireland Continues To Decline Overall.

At the current level of progress, Ireland will fail to meet the EU and national goal of restoring all waters to good or better status by 2027.
Excess nutrients from agriculture, urban wastewater and other human activities remains the biggest challenge, followed by changes to physical habitat conditions.
Just over half (52%) of our surface waters are in satisfactory ecological condition, which is a deterioration from the previous assessment for 2016-2021, where 54% of surface waterbodies met their water quality objectives.
There is evidence that nutrient levels are reducing in areas where actions are being targeted, which is very welcome. The scale and pace of implementation need to be increased.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published their flagship Water Quality in Ireland Report 2019-2024, which provides the latest, 3-yearly assessment of the quality of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters, canals and groundwaters. This assessment includes multiple water quality parameters that are monitored and assessed to give an integrated picture of the condition of our waters.
The report shows that, despite improvements in some areas, water quality in Ireland is not as good as it should be and is continuing to decline overall:

**River Suir, Thurles, Co. Tipperary**
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

52% of rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters are in a satisfactory ecological condition, which means in good or high ecological status. This is a decline since the 2016-2021 assessment when 54% of surface waters were satisfactory.
Transitional waters, including estuaries and coastal lagoons, are in the poorest condition of any waterbody type, with 70% in an unsatisfactory condition, up from 64% in the last assessment.
92% of groundwaters are in good status. Canals are also in relatively good condition with 87% achieving their water quality targets.

**Sewage Pipe flows into River Suir in Thurles Town Centre.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

Commenting on the report, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment, said: “Our rivers, lakes and estuaries are the lifeblood of our landscape and support our ecosystems, and our health and wellbeing. But they are struggling. They do not have the resilience to cope with the challenges they face, now and in the future. Surface water quality overall has been in decline since before the first of these assessments was carried out by the EPA in the late 2000s.
It is very disappointing to report that water quality is not improving despite the many actions that are underway, across all sectors. It’s clear the scale and pace of implementation needs to be increased and sustained.”
The main pressures impacting on water quality are excess nutrients coming mainly from agriculture, urban wastewater discharges, and damage to the physical condition of water habitats from activities such as land and river drainage, forestry and urban development.
The report highlights that there have been improvements in phosphorus levels in our surface waters in areas prioritised for action where the right measures are implemented in the right places to target interventions. There were also reductions in nitrogen levels in many river monitoring sites in recent years, which is welcome. Further reductions will be needed to reach levels that will support healthy ecosystems.

Dr Jenny Deakin, EPA Programme Manager added: “The decreases in phosphorus levels in areas prioritised for action are very welcome. While further reductions will be needed as well as reduction in nitrate levels, this report shines a light on the progress that can be made when actions are targeted. It is essential that better information is collected by all stakeholders, on when and where the actions are being implemented on the ground, to provide better information on how the progress can be accelerated.”
Information about local water quality and the pressures impacting it is available at www.catchments.ie

North Tipperary Welcomes New 96-Bed Unit Opening At UHL.

New 96-bed unit opened today at University Hospital Limerick.

A new 96-bed unit has opened at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), as part of efforts to ease chronic overcrowding at the Mid West’s main hospital serving North Tipperary.

Minister for Health Ms Jennifer Carroll MacNeill officially opened this new facility, which includes four wards of 24 beds each.

Around 400 additional staff are required to operate the unit, most of whom are already in place, according to the hospital.

UHL, which provides the only 24-hour emergency department for North Tipperary, Limerick and Clare, has consistently recorded the highest number of patients on trolleys in the country.

The expansion comes two weeks after the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) urged immediate action and investment to increase bed capacity in the HSE Mid West.

HIQA outlined three options: expanding the Dooradoyle campus, developing a new nearby site, or constructing a new hospital. Ms Carroll MacNeill said all options remain on the table, adding that increasing inpatient capacity is her priority.

Ms Carroll MacNeill also welcomed the recent granting of planning permission for a second 96-bed block at the Dooradoyle site.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), 100 people were waiting for treatment at UHL on Monday; 70 in the Emergency Department and 30 admitted patients still awaiting a bed.

Emergency departments in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals were closed in 2009 by under a Fianna Fáil led government, pursuing a reconfiguration of services, centralising emergency care at UHL.

Undeclared Sesame, Soya & Celery In Fit Foods Product.

Undeclared sesame, soya and celery in a batch of Fit Foods Beef and Mash with Pepper Sauce.

Alert Summary dated Friday, October 10th 2025.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2025.A35
Allergens: Sesame seeds, soybeans and celery
Product Identification: Fit Foods Beef & Mash with Pepper Sauce; pack size: 400g
Batch Code: 2528101; use by date: 20/10/2025
Country Of Origin: Ireland

Message: The above batch of Fit Foods Beef & Mash with Pepper Sauce contains sesame, soya and celery which are not declared in the list of ingredients. This may make the batch unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of sesame, soya and / or celery and therefore, these consumers should not eat the implicated batch.
The affected batch is being recalled.

FSAI Recall Pekish Breaded Chicken Products.

Recall of specific batches of Pekish breaded chicken products due to incorrect cooking instructions on the label.

Alert Summary dated Thursday, October 9th 2025.

Category 1: For Action
Alert Notification: 2025.55
Product Identification: Please see table below.
Batch Code: Please see table below.

Message: The below batches of Pekish breaded chicken products are being recalled due to incorrect cooking instructions on the label, which are insufficient to cook the products to a core temperature of 75°C.
Recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale.

Product name.	Pack size.	Use by dates.
Pekish Chicken Goujons.	400 g.	All use by dates up to and including 14/10/2025.
Pekish Chicken Nuggets.	320 g.	All use by dates up to and including 16/10/2025.
Pekish Breaded Chicken Fillets.	400 g.	All use by dates up to and including 18/10/2025.

Action Required: Manufacturers, Wholesalers, Distributors, Caterers and Retailers:

Retailer: Same are requested to remove the implicated batches from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.
Wholesalers/Distributors: Same are requested to contact their affected customers and recall the implicated batches and provide a point-of-sale recall notice to their retailer customers.
Consumers: Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batches.

FSAI Publishes Guidance Note On Food Safety Culture.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today published a new Guidance Note on Food Safety Culture, which aims to support food businesses in meeting their legal requirements to establish and maintain an appropriate food safety culture in their business. This new resource will assist food businesses in embedding food safety into their everyday practices and will also provide a framework for inspectors to assess food safety culture during inspections.

To produce safe food, behaviour and awareness must align with safe food practices. Food safety culture encompasses how everyone, including managers and employees, think and act in their job on a consistent basis. It reflects the commitment to food safety at every step and within every role. The Guidance Note contains practical tools such as a self-assessment checklist and questionnaires to help businesses evaluate their own culture and prepare for inspections.

By increasing awareness and adopting safe food behaviours, an appropriate food safety culture can:

Maintain high food safety and hygiene standards and regulatory compliance.
Aid in keeping consumers safe from foodborne illness.
Increase transparency and improve communication among all employees.
Help prevent problems that results from unsafe food.

Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said: “Having the right food safety knowledge and skills is not just a regulatory requirement; it is essential for building and sustaining an appropriate food safety culture within a food business. This reduces food safety incidents, protects public health and also strengthens consumer trust and brand reputation. Our new Guidance Note is designed to support businesses in meeting their legal obligations while embedding best practices that safeguard consumers and support a stronger, safer food system. We encourage all food business operators to make full use of this new resource and commit to promoting a positive food safety culture.”

The FSAI’s Learning Portal also has a training module on food safety culture to assist food businesses that can be used in tandem with the Guidance Note.

Under an amendment to EU Regulation 852/2004, all food businesses with the exception of primary producers are now required to establish, maintain, and provide evidence of an appropriate food safety culture, taking in account the size and nature of the food business.

Guidance Note on Food Safety Culture HERE