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SMA Alfamino Infant Formula Recalled By FSAI.

Alfamino infant formula added to list of SMA products, due to the possible presence of cereulide.

A Further update to recall of specific batches of SMA.

Alert Summary dated Wednesday, January 7th 2026.

Category 1: For Action
Alert Notification: 2026.01 (Update 1)
Product Identification: SMA Nutrition Alfamino infant formula; pack size 400g
Batch Code 51210017Y1; expiry date: May-27 and 51700017Y1; expiry date: Jun-27

Message: Further to food alert 2026.01, batch 51700017Y1 of SMA Nutrition Alfamino infant formula is also subject to recall. Furthermore, the correct expiry date of batch 51210017Y1 is May-27.

Recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale.

Questions and answers.
Nestlé is advising its customers that have purchased any of these batches to contact them:
via its online form, sharing a photo of the product and the batch code or by calling its careline Tel: 1800 931 832.

Nature Of Danger:
Cereulide toxin is produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus. The toxin may be pre-formed in a food and is extremely heat resistant. Consumption of foods containing cereulide toxin can lead to nausea and severe vomiting. Symptoms can appear within five hours. The duration of illness is usually 6 to 24 hours.

Action Required: Wholesalers/Distributors, Retailers.
Retailers: 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: Parents, guardians and caregivers are advised not to feed the implicated batches to infants or young children.

Death Of Mick Kennedy, Formerly Of Templemore, Co. Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, on Monday 5th January 2026 of Mr Michael (Mick) Kennedy, Dalkey, Co. Dublin and formerly of Templemore, Co. Tipperary.

Mr Kennedy passed away peacefully while in the care of staff at St Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin.

Pre-deceased by his sisters Mary, Kitty and Nancy; his passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Maura (of 65 years), son Johnny, daughters Frances, Trish and Kate, sons-in-law Paul, Ger and Ian, daughter-in-law Pilar, grandchildren Sam, Emily, Julie, Fiona, Sean and Harry, brother Denis, sister Peggy, sister-in-law JoJo, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.

May he rest in peace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The remains of Mr Kennedy will repose at Patrick O’Donovan & Son Funeral Home, 5-6 Church Place, Dun Laoghaire, Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin, (Eircode A96 V962), on Thursday afternoon, January 8th
from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, same evening.
A private service of cremation will be held at a later date.

The extended Kennedy 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.

Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to a charity of choice.

Death Of Henry Cummins, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, yesterday Tuesday 6th January 2026, of Mr Henry Cummins, Rathcradogue, Rahealty, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

In his 97th year, Mr Cummins passed away peacefully, while in the presence of his loving family, in the care of staff at the Coronary Care Unit of Cork University Hospital, following a brief illness.

His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family, many friends and wonderful neighbours and all who will mourn his passing.

Requiescat in Pace.

Funeral Arrangements.

The earthly remains of Mr Cummins will repose at the home of Jim and Patricia Cummins, Rathcradogue, Rahealty, Thurles, Co Tipperary, (Eircode E41 Y990), on Thursday afternoon, January 8th, from 4:00pm until 8:00pm, same evening.
His remains will be received into the Cathedral of the Assumption, Cathedral Street, Thurles, on Friday morning, January 9th, at 10:30am, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 11:00am, followed by a private service of cremation, at the Island Crematorium, Rocky Island, Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork.

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.

Note Please: House private on Friday morning (January 9th).

Beneath A Painted Sky.

Beneath A Painted Sky.

Lyric: Former American musician, songwriter, record producer, A&R executive, musical stores entrepreneur, the late Joe Chambers (1954–2022) and prominent American country music songwriter Bucky Jones.
Vocals: American country music singer/songwriter, the late Tammy Wynette (1942–1998), Born Virginia Wynette Pugh.

The Late Tammy Wynette.

Beneath A Painted Sky.

Beneath A Painted Sky.

There never was a little girl more wanted than me.
I had all the love a child could ever want or need.
Daddy gave me everything he could afford to buy,
And on the ceiling in my room he painted me a sky.
He told me not to be afraid when it stormed outside.
He said, “In your room, sweetheart the sun will always shine”.
And through the years of growing up if something made me cry,
It didn’t seem to hurt so bad beneath the painted sky.
Beneath the painted sky, that’s where I want to be,
A place to go when this old world gets the best of me.
A place where dreams come true and no one ever says, “Goodbye”,
Oh, I wish that I could live again beneath the painted sky.
Girls grow up and fall in love and that’s how it is,
Sometimes the men don’t love ’em like their Daddy’s did.
Sometimes the hurt’s so bad, the way it is tonight,
It makes me wanna be back home beneath the painted sky.
Beneath the painted sky, that’s where I want to be,
A place to go when this old world gets the best of me.
A place where dreams come true and no one ever says, “Goodbye”,
Oh, I wish that I could live again beneath the painted sky.
Oh, I wish I was a kid again beneath the painted sky.

END

Irish Government Publishes Civil Reform Bill.

Irish Government Publishes Civil Reform Bill To Overhaul Judicial Review And Streamline Courts Processes.

The General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill includes measures to:

  • Place Judicial Review on a statutory basis, with a public interest test at the centre of the process ensuring balance and protection of common good.
  • Prevent abuse of the discovery process by introducing a new production regime that will be more effective, efficient and lead to lower costs.
  • Raise monetary limits on the jurisdiction of the Circuit and District Courts, reducing legal costs by allowing more non-complex cases to be heard in lower courts.

The Irish Government has today published the General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill to reform the Judicial Review mechanism and streamline other key courts processes.

The Civil Reform Bill is a key measure that will see the implementation of the Review of the Administration of Civil Justice, also known as the Kelly Report, which was published back in October 2020.
This Report made over 90 recommendations aimed at improving access to justice for all, by making it quicker, more efficient and more cost effective.

The Bill introduces reforms in relation to Discovery and Civil Procedure in the Courts, as well as a change to the monetary limits on the jurisdiction of the Circuit and District Courts.

The proposed Bill will also provide for a suite of civil reform measures including:

  1. Creation of case conduct principles;
  2. presumption against granting of adjournments;
  3. pre-action protocols extended beyond clinical negligence proceedings;
  4. limiting the term of a Lis Pendens;
  5. deemed discontinuance of civil actions;
  6. plaintiffs in personal injuries actions to distinguish between pre-existing injuries and those which are the subject of the claim;
  7. extension of rules committees’ remit to include rules of evidence in civil proceedings.

The government feels confident that the Civil Reform Bill will remove weaknesses in the current law, eliminate impediments to progress and deliver reform that benefits the public and will also reserve the right of the citizen to ensure public bodies act lawfully and are accountable for their decisions.

The published Review of the Administration of Civil Justice can be found at the following link: HERE.