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The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday published an audit which found a level of non-compliance with food law and subsequently led to ten formal enforcement actions being undertaken.
The FSAI’s Audit of Food Business Operator Compliance with Meat Labelling and Traceability Requirements evaluated a representative sample of food businesses including supermarkets; butchers; food service establishments; storage and distribution establishments; meat processing plants; and slaughterhouses and their compliance with meat labelling and traceability requirements. The audit reviewed the availability, accuracy and appropriateness of information provided on labels and information for non-prepacked meat products.
A total of 27 unannounced, on-site audits were conducted on food businesses with a particular emphasis on checking compliance with meat labelling and traceability requirements. Key results from the report include:
- Non-compliance with labelling requirements for prepacked food was detected in 18 of the establishments audited and 5 of these establishments had serious non-compliance.
- Non-compliance with food information requirements for non-prepacked foods (in retail and foodservice settings) was detected during audits of five establishments. One of these five establishments had a serious non-compliance.
- Non-compliance with traceability requirements was detected during audits of ten establishments. Five of these ten establishments had serious non-compliance.
Non-compliance with other aspects of food law, outside the planned scope of the audit, was also detected during audits of 17 of the establishments. At 14 of these 17 establishments, the non-compliance was considered serious. Corrective action reports have been issued to all the food businesses where non-compliance was detected.
The audit led to 10 formal enforcement actions by the food inspectorate or the FSAI against 6 food business operators. Some 14 recommendations were also made to strengthen compliance with food law, including instructing businesses to ensure that foods are labelled accurately. Another recommendation advised that compliance with traceability requirements should be improved and that food businesses should avail of the resources to assist them. It was also advised that food businesses minimise food waste by considering whether a ‘use-by’ date or ‘best before’ date should be applied to labels of prepacked frozen foods.
Speaking yesterday, Dr Pamela Byrne, (Chief Executive, FSAI), reminded food businesses that ensuring labelling and traceability legal requirements is key to safeguarding the health and interests of consumers.
Dr Byrne stated “While good practices were observed in some of the food businesses, disappointingly, this audit found that there was a varying degree of compliance by food businesses with meat labelling and traceability requirements. Fortunately, serious non-compliance with these requirements was confined to a small number of businesses. It is also disappointing that serious non-compliance outside the planned scope of the audit was observed at many of the businesses audited. Consumers have a right to safe food and their health and interests must be paramount to everything that food businesses do. We are continuing to work closely with the food inspectorate to explore opportunities to strengthen compliance with food law. We urge food businesses to ensure they are meeting their food safety legal requirements and they should also take full advantage of the information and support provided on our website www.fsai.ie“.
This targeted audit was carried out between August 2021 and March 2022.
EPA Projections data indicate that:
- Total greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have increased by 6% in 2021.
- Planned policies and measures, if fully implemented, could deliver up to 28% (4% per annum) emissions reduction up to 2030.
- Ireland can comply with its 2030 EU emissions reduction target only if all planned measures are implemented and delivered as planned.
- The data projects that all sectors need to do significantly more to meet their 2030 National emissions reduction targets.
- The challenge is particularly evident in the agriculture sector. Methane emissions will need to reduce by up to 30% to meet the lower range of its 2021 Climate Action Plan target.
- Urgent implementation of all climate plans and policies, plus further new measures, are needed for Ireland to meet the 51% emissions reduction target and put Ireland on track for climate neutrality by 2050.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its Greenhouse Gas emissions projections for the period 2021–2040.
The data shows that planned Climate policies and measures, if fully implemented, could deliver up to 28% (4 per cent per annum) emissions reduction up to 2030. As such Ireland could comply with its 2030 EU emissions reduction target only if all committed measures are implemented and delivered as planned and with full use of the permitted flexibilities.
Urgent implementation of all climate plans and polices, plus further new measures, are needed for Ireland to meet the 51% emissions reduction target and put Ireland on track for climate neutrality by 2050.
Speaking today at the EPA’s Climate Change Conference in Croke Park, Ms Laura Burke, (Director General, EPA) said: “These projections show the scale of policy development and implementation needed to match the ambition of our Climate Act 2021 and Carbon Budget targets. There is a significant gap between the ambition in the Climate Act and the realisation of the necessary actions to deliver on that ambition”.
Ms Burke added:
“The data shows that a step up in both the implementation of actions already set out in plans and policies and the identification of new measures is needed. All sectors have work to do, in particular the Agriculture sector. As the largest contributor of National emissions, more clarity is needed on how and when it will implement actions to reduce methane within the ever-shortening timeframe to 2030”.
The projections indicate that we have returned to pre-pandemic levels of activity, particularly in the transport sector, with associated levels of emissions. This return is likely to be exacerbated by a return to higher levels of coal used in electricity generation to meet growing national energy demand and current geopolitical impacts on energy.
Total greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have increased by 6% in 2021. It is projected that the impact of reduction measures will result in emissions decreasing from 2023 onwards. The impact of measures on a sectoral basis include:
Agriculture
Under the with existing measures scenario emissions are projected to increase by 1.9% over the 2020-2030 period. A methane emissions reduction of almost 30% is required to achieve a 22% reduction in Agriculture emissions compared to 2018, as committed to in the 2021 Climate Action Plan. The sector must clearly set out how this will be achieved to address uncertainty regarding its ability to deliver even the lower end of the range of its sectoral targets within the ever-shortening time-frame to 2030.
Transport
The end of COVID travel restrictions is projected to result in transport emissions increasing by 18-19 per cent from 2020 to 2022. Emissions from the sector are projected to reduce to 39 per cent below 2018 levels by 2030 if the additional measures set out in plans and policies are implemented. These include over 940,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030, increased biofuel blend rates and measures to support more sustainable transport.
Energy
Increased coal use from 2021, as a result of unavailability of sufficient gas-fired generation to meet growing energy demand, followed by changes in relative fuel price threatens to undo some of the good work done over recent years and negatively impact achievement of National targets, particularly for the first carbon budget period. Despite this, increased renewable energy generation, if delivered as planned, can reduce Energy Industry emissions by 10% per annum from 2021-30, achieving up to 78% renewable electricity generation by 2030.
Home Heating
Spending more time at home due to home/office hybrid working and the increasing cost of fossil fuels has highlighted a need for improvements in home heating efficiency and better insulation. Current implemented policies and measures can only deliver a 24% reduction in emissions from this sector by 2030. This highlights the need for implementation of the additional policies and measures such as those in the Climate Action Plan, which include the installation of 680,000 heat-pumps by 2030 as well as retrofitting 500,000 homes. These are projected to achieve a 41.5% reduction in residential emissions in 2030 compared to 2018.
Commenting, Mr Stephen Treacy, (Senior Manager, EPA) said: “The message from the authors of the recent IPCC report on climate mitigation was clear – it’s now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible. In Ireland, implementation of measures has consistently lagged far behind planning. It is important that all planned actions are implemented as soon as possible while, in parallel, identifying actions to address the remaining gap to meet carbon budget limits”.
See full detail on the Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections 2021 to 2040 HERE and EPA Greenhouse Gas web resource on the EPA website HERE.
Irish Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee has today received the approval of the Cabinet to draft legislation to amend the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011, to address the impact of recent judgments of the European Court of Justice.
The proposed legislation is without prejudice to the State’s current appeal to the Supreme Court of a High Court ruling relating to the Act and will have two main objectives.
Firstly, it will provide for amendments to the current rules on general and indiscriminate retention of data from telephony and internet communications for national security purposes.
Secondly, provision will be made for new access provisions including two new types of orders which will strengthen the capacity of An Garda Síochána to secure and access all forms of electronic data for the purpose of specific criminal investigations or proceedings.
“Preservation Orders” will require the preservation of specified electronic data in connection with specific persons, locations or other indicators (e.g. mobile phone numbers). A Preservation Order will not in itself require the granting of access to data.
“Production Orders” will require the gathering and submission of specified data in a person’s possession or control to An Garda Síochána, and may include data which may already be the subject of a Preservation Order.
The Minister noted that the possibility of deploying such measures has been acknowledged by the Court of Justice in its rulings on data issues.
The Minister intends to return to Government to seek approval for the General Scheme of a Bill in the coming weeks, once the scope of the legal changes required has been confirmed.
In light of the urgent need to provide clarity in this area, the Minister intends to pass this legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas, by the summer.
The Minister intends to bring forward wider reforms in the area of data retention later this year, to ensure An Garda Síochána have a robust legal framework to fight crime in the modern era.
These measures meet commitments made by the Minister in her Justice Plan 2022.
Following the Cabinet meeting, Minister McEntee said:
“The Government’s decision today allows for work to go forward to reflect the impact of judgments of the European Court of Justice.
While I do not want to comment on the specifics of cases which are before the courts, I have been clear that I do not want a situation where An Garda Síochána have their hands tied behind their backs.
Access to telecommunications data has become ever more important for the detection, investigation and prosecution of crime and for safeguarding the security of the State.
An Garda Síochána do hugely important work to keep us all safe, to investigate criminals and to ensure justice is done. They must be fully equipped with strong laws and modern technology to fight crime and keep us safe. We need to acknowledge that Gardaí require access to data to do their jobs and keep us safe, and that there are occasions when the interests of public safety, fighting crime and national security must override the absolute right to privacy.
There should always be safeguards and protections when it comes to accessing data, but we must not allow the balance to shift too far away from keeping people safe and fighting crime.
I intend to bring a General Scheme to Government for approval in the coming weeks, after which I will announce further detail of the intended legislation”.
It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Monday, 30th May, 2022, of Mr Jim Fanning, Laffansbridge, Killenaule, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Pre-deceased by his wife Nellie; the passing of Mr Fanning is most deeply regretted by his sisters Peggy and Tessy, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.
Requiescat in Pace.
Funeral Arrangements.
The earthly remains of Mr Fanning will repose at O’Connell’s Funeral Home, Killenaule, Thurles on Wednesday evening next from 5:00pm to 6:45pm, before being received into the Church of St. Mary, Bailey Street, Killenaule, Thurles at 7:00pm.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Thursday morning at 11:30am, followed by interment in the adjoining graveyard.
For the many persons who would have liked to have attended the funeral service for Mr Fanning, but due to distance or ill health are unable to do so, same can be viewed online HERE.
[NB: Due to C-19 virus fears; those attending will continue to observe strict adherence to social distancing, face covering, with no hand shaking.]
The extended Fanning family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time and have made arrangements for those wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Monday, 30th May, 2022, of Mrs Mary Phelan (née O’ Meara), Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and formerly Boulabaha, Moyne, Co. Tipperary.
In her 89th year and pre-deceased by her husband Peter and son Gerald Anthony; Mrs Phelan passed away peacefully while in the loving care of Staff at Fenor Hill Nursing Home, Co. Kilkenny.
Her passing is most deeply regretted by her daughters Margaret and Betty, son Eamonn, sisters-in-law, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.
Requiescat in Pace.
Funeral Arrangements.
The earthly remains of Mrs Phelan will repose for Requiem Mass in the Church of St. Mary, Moyne, Thurles, on Thursday morning, June 2nd, at 11:30am, followed by interment immediately afterwards in nearby St. Mary’s cemetery, Moyne, Co. Tipperary.
For the many persons who would have liked to have attended the funeral service for Mrs Phelan, but due to distance or ill health are unable to do so, same can be viewed online HERE.
[NB: Due to C-19 virus fears; those attending will continue to observe strict adherence to social distancing, face covering, with no hand shaking.]
The extended Phelan family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time.
Suaimhneas síoraí dá h-anam dílis.
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