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Undeclared Walnut in mispacked Donnybrook Fair Banana Bread.
Alert Summary dated Friday, May 2nd, 2025.
Allergy Alert Notification: 2025.A18.
Allergen: Nuts.
Product Identification: Donnybrook Fair Banana Bread, pack size: 250g Batch Code 118; use by date: 07/05/2025.
Country Of Origin: Ireland.
Message: Donnybrook Fair are recalling the above batch of Banana Bread, as the product contained in the pack is Carrot Cake. Walnuts are an ingredient of the Carrot Cake, but are not declared on the Banana Bread label. This may make the product unsafe for consumers who are allergic to Walnuts, and, therefore, these consumers should not eat the product.
Co. Clare TD Mr Joe Cooney has requested that Minister for Transport, Mr Darragh O’Brien, TD, investigate why the procurement of a new operator for the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue (SAR) Helicopter base in Shannon has resulted in the service being unable to attend medical evacuation calls on behalf of the HSE.
Deputy Cooney said Bristow Ireland, unlike the previous operator CHC Ireland, is currently not licensed to take stretchers onboard, if responding to an emergency medical support call-out, due to Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) regulatory approvals not being met.
The Clare TD, while acknowledging that the Department has confirmed that full resumption of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service is anticipated; expresses his concern that a vital component of the service previously provided by CHC Ireland, was not prioritised during the procurement process.
Deputy Cooney has also asked for clarity on why Bristow Ireland only assumed full 24-hour cover at Shannon on April 1st, almost 5 months after it commenced operating from 8:00am to 8:00pm at Shannon, suggesting that the terms of the new contract were not adhered to.
Deputy Cooney stated, “The Department of Transport faces serious questions about its procurement process and the resulting gap in emergency medical response coverage from the Shannon base,” he explained. “Given the well documented delays in ambulance cover for much of the mid-west region, and the reliance on and importance of the helicopter to provide the necessary emergency medical cover, the concerns expressed to me by constituents have revolved around the impact this issue might have had for those in need of such a critical service.”
Deputy Cooney continued, “At present, Shannon is the only one of the four bases operating under the new contract. Bristow Ireland is scheduled to commence operations at Dublin Weston on 1 July 2025, Sligo on 16 December 2025, and Waterford on 1 February 2026. The absurdity of the situation is underscored by the fact that, due to the failure to meet the 30th of June deadline for Bristow Ireland’s commencement at Dublin, Waterford and Sligo, CHC Ireland is still responding to medical evacuation calls on behalf of the HSE from these bases.”
Deputy Cooney also pointed out that Bristow Ireland, has yet to move into its own hangars at its base in Shannon and is currently sharing a hangar with an aircraft maintenance company.
“I have spoken with the Department and will be asking the Minister to review the procurement process,” he stated. “Clearly a vital piece of the service was omitted from the tendering process, an acknowledgement of these shortcomings is important in identifying the lessons that need to be learned here.”
In a written response to his Parliamentary Question, issued this week to Deputy Cooney, the Department of Transport stated, “On April 8th 2025, Bristow Ireland was notified by Irish Aviation Authority that the stretcher arrangement in use required modification to meet Helicopter Emergency Medical Support (HEMS) regulatory approvals. This decision does not apply to Helicopter Search and Rescue Operations and only applies to the Shannon base. The Coast Guard continues to provide nationwide HEMS support to the National Ambulance Service from its bases at Sligo, Waterford and Dublin. My department has been notified by Bristow Helicopters that it will shortly have a revised solution in place and anticipates full resumption of HEMS, shortly thereafter. It is important to note that this review has no impact on provision of day and night aeromedical support to the offshore island communities, from any of the four bases.”
It was with a great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday, Thursday 1st May 2025, of Mrs Katherine (Kitt) Murphy (née Doheny), Glasnevin, Co. Dublin and formerly Templemore, Co. Tipperary.
Pre-deceased by her parents Liam and Margaret, husband Michael, sisters Mary-Jo (Grogan) and Chris (Walsh) and brother Michael; Mrs Murphy passed away peacefully, while in the care of her family and staff at Ardmore Nursing Home.
Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving daughter Máirín, sons Gearóid, Mícheál, Diarmuid and Feilim, grandchildren, sister Rosarii, sisters-in-law, daughters-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and friends.
Requiescat in Pace.
Funeral Arrangements.
The earthly remains of Mrs Murphy will repose at the Fanagans Kirwans Funeral Home, 82 Ballygall Road West, Finglas East, Co. Dublin, (Eircode D11 W7VX) on Tuesday afternoon, May 6th, from 3:00pm until 5:00pm.
Her remains will be received into the Church of Our Mother of Divine Grace, Ballygall Road East, Ballygall, Co. Dublin, (Eircode D11 X026) on Wednesday morning, May 7th, to further repose for Requiem Mass at 10:00am, followed by Cremation, immediately afterwards, in Glasnevin Cemetery, Finglas Road, Glasnevin, Co. Dublin, (Eircode D11 XA32).
For those persons who wish to attend Requiem Mass for Mrs Murphy, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.
Service of Cremation can also be viewed live on-line HERE .
The extended Murphy 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.
FSAI warn of undeclared wheat in batch of Brady Family Master Butcher Edition 7 Day Dry Aged Glazed Ham.
Alert Summary dated Friday, May 2nd 2025.
Allergy Alert Notification: 2025.A17
Allergen: Cereals containing gluten.
Product Identification: Brady Family Master Butcher Edition 7 Day Dry Aged Glazed Ham; pack size: 120g; approval number: IE 2313 EC.
Batch Code: 132277; use by date: 16/05/2025
Country Of Origin: Ireland
Message: The above batch of Brady Family Master Butcher Edition 7 Day Dry Aged Glazed Ham was mispacked with crumbed ham. The implicated batch contains cereals containing gluten (wheat) which is not mentioned on the label. This may make the batch unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of cereals containing gluten (wheat) and therefore, these consumers should not eat the implicated batch.
The affected batch is being recalled.
Minister for Justice Mr Jim O’Callaghan has today addressed the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) Conference in Galway this morning; his first as Minister for Justice. Speaking on the first day of the conference, Minister O’Callaghan acknowledged the challenges facing prison officers and highlighted the steps he and the Government are taking to address them.
Thanking the POA for their collaboration and commitment to high standards, Minister O’Callaghan committed to “taking necessary steps to help [prison officers] succeed in this incredibly rewarding career.”
Meanwhile, POA President Mr Tony Power, in addressing the conference at the Galmont Hotel, urged the Minister to immediately address prison overcrowding.
The POA confirmed that this issue was causing a ‘potentially explosive situation’ as there are 5,344 people in custody, with 358 of those prisoners sleeping on mattresses on floors.
Speaking about overcrowding challenges facing the Irish Prison Service; Minister O’Callaghan said: “While the prison estate is currently expanding, I know it is not expanding at the rate that is urgently needed. Since 2022, capacity has been increased by more than 300 new spaces with 139 delivered in the last 12 months alone and more than 90 to be added this year.
Budget 2025 increased funding to €525 million to tackle overcrowding and increase capacity. This year, the Irish Prison Service capital budget is €53 million, also focused on providing additional prison spaces.”
The Minister spoke about important upcoming legislation – the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions Bill) 2025 – which will help to ensure prison officer safety and introduce a range of improvements across prison operations:
Incapacitant Spray Where Prison Officer Safety At Risk.
The Minister stated “I am pleased to tell you that a proposal which I intend to bring forward shortly to Cabinet for approval, as part of the Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, is to amend the law so that prison officers can use incapacitant spray in incidents where their safety is at risk.”
The Minister added: “This Bill includes a range of measures that will bring welcome changes across a range of areas, improving operational capacity in our prisons and bolstering sentencing options to reduce reliance on custodial sentences. This includes a number of proposed amendments to the Community Service Act 1983 to encourage greater use of community service orders for those deemed appropriate.”
The Bill proposes doubling the amount of hours’ service that a judge may order, as well as enabling the Courts to consider community service in lieu of a sentence of up to 24 months, rather than the current 12 months. Where a court elects not to impose a community safety order in eligible cases, it is proposed that it will be obliged to give reasons for this.
Keeping contraband out of prison was also a key focus of the Minister’s address to the POA and its membership, and the Minister spoke about collaborative efforts between the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána.
He continued, “The Irish Prison Service continues to work closely with An Garda Síochána on initiatives including Operation Throwover, which has had a lot of success in its goal to disrupt, interdict and prosecute attempts to introduce contraband into prisons.
Earlier this week, I was pleased to witness the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the Director General of the IPS Caron McCaffrey and the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. This MOU will enable both agencies to collaborate more effectively across a range of areas including prison security, intelligence gathering, evidence preservation and data sharing. This collaboration will significantly help to prevent contraband entering prisons.”
“At every turn, the work we are doing is informed, supported and improved by representative groups like the Prison Officers Association and the invaluable perspective of our prison officers.
I will continue to listen and work with you to make our criminal justice system safer, fairer, and more effective in keeping Ireland a safe place”, he concluded
Minister O’Callaghan ended by once again thanking the POA for the critical role they play in the justice system, and committed to continuing to work closely with them to improve Irish prisons for both prisoners and prison officers.
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