Thurles Information

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

Death Of Mick Doyle, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Wednesday 8th October 2025 of Mr Michael (Mick) Doyle, Mitchel Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and formerly of Main Street, Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny.

Mr Doyle passed away peacefully while in the care of staff at the Community Hospital of the Assumption, Thurles.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Maura, son David, daughter-in-law Michelle, adored grandchildren Eleanor and Michael, brother John, sister Maureen, brother-in-law Tom Hickey, sisters-in-law Margaret Doyle and Àine Kavanagh, nephews, nieces, extended relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Doyle will repose at Doyle’s Funeral Home, Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny, on tomorrow afternoon, Friday October 10th, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm same evening.
His funeral cortège will leave from his residence on Saturday morning, October 11th, to be received into the Cathedral of the Assumption, Cathedral, Street, Thurles, arriving at 10:30am to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:00am, followed by interment, immediately afterwards, in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Moyne Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

For those persons who would wish to attend Requiem Mass for Mr Doyle, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.

The extended Doyle family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Death Of Tommy St. John, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Wednesday 8th October 2025, of
Mr Tommy St. John, Cabra, Thurles, Co. Tipperary

Pre-deceased by his infant son Mark; Mr St. John, passed away peacefully while in the care of staff at Fennor Hill Nursing Home, Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Breda, son James, daughters Marie, Caroline and Paula, grandchildren Grace, Caoimhe and her husband Patrick, sons-in-law Tom, Huw and Ted, daughter-in-law Maura, great-grandchildren Alex, Sadie and Robyn as well as his nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

Mr St. John has donated his body for scientific research at UCC.
His Memorial Mass will now take place at the Church of St Joseph and St Brigid, Bohernanave, Thurles, on tomorrow morning, Friday October 10th at 11:00am.

The extended St. John family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

Note please: House private after 7:00pm this evening, Thursday October 9th.

Ní imithe uainn ach imithe romhainn atá sé.
(He has not gone away from us, but has gone before us.)
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Death Of Annette Cummins, Formerly of Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

It was with sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Wednesday 8th October 2025, of Ms Annette Cummins, Lacken Drive, Kilkenny City, Kilkenny and formerly of Lismolin, Ballingarry, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

In her 94th year and pre-deceased by her parents Roger and Josephine, brothers Seamus, Vincent and Roger, sisters Mary, Teresa and Sheila; Ms Cummins passed away peacefully while in the care of staff at Brookhaven Nursing Home, Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny.

Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving brothers Tony and Eugene, sister-in-law Kate, nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Ms Cummins will repose at Johnston’s Funeral Home, John’s Green, Kilkenny City, (Eircode R95 XE00) on Saturday afternoon, October 11th, from 5:00pm and concluding with prayers at 6:30pm same evening.
Her remains will be received into the Church of St John the Evangelist, Dublin Road, Kilkenny City, to further repose for Requiem Mass on Sunday morning, October 12th at 11:30am, followed by interment immediately in Ballingarry Cemetery, Ballingarry Lower (SR), Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

For those persons who would wish to attend Requiem Mass for Ms Cummins, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.

The extended Cummins family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

Raw Sewage Discharges-Wastewater Plants Poorly Managed.

Wastewater discharged from 59 per cent of Ireland’s existing treatment plants failed to consistently meet standards set in EPA licences to prevent pollution.
Nearly half of these failures are due to poor operational management at existing treatment plants.
Delays by Uisce Éireann in delivering improved infrastructure are prolonging risks to water quality.
EPA will continue to take enforcement action to bring existing wastewater treatment plants up to standard.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Urban Wastewater Treatment in 2024 report, released today, shows that investment at priority areas highlighted by the EPA is delivering improvements with the volume of raw sewage discharged daily halving since early 2024.

However, wastewater discharges continue to harm water quality in rivers, estuaries, lakes and coastal waters.

**Effluent continues to flow into the River Suir in Thurles Town centre**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby*

EPA licences set out the treatment standards necessary to prevent pollution and protect the environment. EPA assessment of wastewater discharges in this report highlights that over half (59%) of licensed treatment plants fail to consistently meet these standards. Failures range from occasional, short-term breaches to persistent discharges of poorly treated sewage. The main causes are inadequate infrastructure and poor operation and maintenance of treatment plants.

Operation and maintenance issues can and must be resolved as a matter of urgency. Addressing infrastructural deficits is a longer-term challenge that requires substantial and sustained investment. As it will take many years to complete all infrastructural upgrades, Uisce Éireann must give priority to the areas where improvements are most needed and will bring the greatest benefits. The EPA has identified 78 priority areas for improvements. Uisce Éireann has not yet started the works needed at half of these.

**Effluent continues to flow into the River Suir in Thurlrs Town centre**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby*

Launching the report, Mr Pat Byrne, Director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring said: “Targeting improvements at priority areas identified by the EPA is delivering environmental benefits. The new treatment plants built to stop discharges of raw sewage from areas such as Arklow and Kilrush are clear examples of this progress. However, delays in designing and delivering infrastructural upgrades required at many more areas are prolonging negative impacts on water quality and the wider environment. Uisce Éireann must accelerate the pace of delivery of essential upgrades at priority areas to ensure cleaner rivers, estuaries, lakes and coastal waters and support a healthier environment for all.”

Treatment at fourteen large towns and cities failed to meet basic, European wide standards set in the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Six of these met the standards in 2023, highlighting the need for Uisce Éireann to take action to prevent previously compliant treatment plants slipping into non-compliance.

Regarding the operation and maintenance of treatment plants, Mr Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, said: “Too many wastewater treatment plants are failing to meet licence standards due to poor management and maintenance practices. This is simply not good enough. When treatment plants break down or are not managed properly, our environment pays the price. The EPA has prosecuted Uisce Éireann on 28 occasions for failing to treat wastewater properly. Poor operational performance will not be tolerated by the EPA. Uisce Éireann must take immediate action to improve the operation and management of treatment plants and implement effective maintenance programmes to prevent equipment breakdowns.”

The Urban Wastewater Treatment in 2024 report and the list of priority areas – including details of the environmental issues at each location and Uisce Éireann’s plans to address them – are available on the EPA website.