Latest news with #Centra
Irish Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Urgent recall issued for popular Centra product amid 'do not eat' warning
An urgent recall has been issued for a popular salmon product sold in Centra stores nationwide as shoppers have been warned not to eat the implicated batch. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland announced on Friday that a recall has been issued on a batch of Centra Hot Smoked BBQ Salmon "as it was mispacked with raw Centra salmon darnes and the label does not have cooking instructions". The safety alert was issued after it was discovered on inspection that the packaging does not have any preparation or cooking instructions for the raw salmon. Smoked salmon is safe to eat without cooking or heating, but raw salmon is not without the appropriate preparation and freshness. Centra shops around the country are pulling the products from shelves, and point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in stores supplied with the implicated batch. The affected batch of 200g packs of Centra Hot Smoked BBQ Salmon has a batch code of 44911N, while the best before date is 07/06/2025 and the approval number is IE-DN 0012-EC. "Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batch," the FSAI warned. The FSAI also announced on Friday that a batch of popular protein bars sold in Lidl is being pulled from shelves due to a labelling error. A recall has been issued for Healthy Fit Cookies & Cream Protein Bar as the ingredients in the affected batch are not labelled in English. The implicated batch contains milk and soya. This may make the batch unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of milk and soya. The affected batch of the 60g product was sold in Lidl stores across Ireland and has a best-before date of 01-2026 and a batch code of 002851. In a statement, a Lidl spokesperson said: "If you have purchased the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to Milk or Soy, we advise you not to consume it. Instead, please return the product to a Lidl store for a full refund, with or without a receipt. "Lidl wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused." Any customers with queries or concerns can contact Lidl's Customer Services Team on 01 920 3010.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Jarlath Burns: I ask anybody who is reporting back, just examine your conscience
It had already been a night full of startling revelations by the time GAA president Jarlath Burns addressed the room at a special meeting of the Mayo county board. The meeting was preceded by the announcement that Mayo football manager Kevin McStay is stepping back from his role for the immediate future to deal with personal health issues. The county's finances and allegations of an ongoing campaign of harassment and intimidation were discussed and displayed via a slideshow presentation. Delegates unanimously passed two special motions in Westport. The first was to unequivocally condemn the campaign of abuse. The second motion was a vote of confidence in the current officers. For Burns, the controversy touches every corner of the association. Topics included adult safeguarding, the historic financial operations of the association and its future direction. 'I came onto the Armagh executive in 2010. If you go back to 2010, I'm sure many of you were involved, there was no such thing as cashless,' he said. 'Audits, audit and risk were not terms we had in the GAA. So we decided that we had concerns about some aspects of our own operation and we carried out an audit. 'Whenever we got the results back, the person who did the audit for ourselves said that we are going to have to introduce a new word into the English language. It is called 'inauditable.' 35% of our operations were inauditable. Every county was like that. This county was like that. Every county was like that because at that stage, the GAA was growing at a rate that we were finding it very difficult for volunteers (to manage).' The GAA moved towards a new policy of cashless access to its fixtures during the Covid pandemic. Match tickets are also available to purchase through Centra/SuperValu stores. 'As a result of that, audit and risk, governance, control, all of that became very important,' continued Burns. 'That is one of the main reasons we went totally cashless. Since we have gone totally cashless, I would have to say in virtually every county audit and risk controls are outstanding. None more so than this county. Michelle McAleer is here today, audited every county, she would say this county came number one in terms of audit and risk, financial control and transparency. It is important to say that.' Gripes are still inevitable. Much of that, when it comes to fixtures or suspensions or team performance, is understandable. Burns believes the current campaign crosses the line. The board also confirmed they reported the issue to An Garda Síochána and intend to seek legal advice. The GAA president went on to address the delegates in the room. GAA secretary Ronan Kirrane had earlier given a presentation detailing a selection of the emails received. Kirrane also focused on the prospect that current delegates were providing information to the unnamed party: 'Maybe we should all look at ourselves and what we have done. Hopefully I am only speaking to one or two at the most, but if I am, and that is you when you look in the mirror, please leave.' This was a theme that Burns echoed as well. 'On Saturday evening, we had the DUP sports minister Gordon Lyons in the Athletic Grounds watching our game. 'He couldn't get over firstly the crowd, it was packed, secondly the atmosphere, thirdly the fact no one was segregated, the fourth thing he said was I'm looking around at half-time, it is all respectable people who go to these games. That is what the GAA is. We are respectable people. We are people of decency and kindness. ' I just ask anybody who is reporting back, in light of what Ronan has given a snapshot of here tonight, just examine your conscience. Just reflect. What is my role in this? What is my role if I am on the side of people who would be so vicious and nasty and bullying and intimidating and threatening?' Meanwhile, Connacht GAA CEO John Prenty hailed the breakdown of how Croke Park had acquired a €5m bank loan in 2015 relating to Mayo GAA. Director General Tom Ryan made a presentation about the terms of the agreement. 'That has been answered 100% by the Ard Stiúrthóir,' he said. 'Simple, precise language. I am amazed that at least two of the people who are keyboard warriors and are supposed to be highly educated, couldn't read the balance sheet of the Mayo county board for the last ten years. 'The second thing is we have been 100% in this room tonight behind our officers, the current officers and some of the previous officers who got a lot of dirty abuse as well, but I think we need to be careful where we go from here. We are dealing with people who think in different ways than GAA people. We want to make sure whatever advice we get, we don't bring down further abuse on our officers or members of our clubs.'
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Sligo man taking top ISME role will focus on minimum wage reform and town centre regeneration
A native of Sligo town, Finbarr operates the award-winning family-owned Centra store in Castle Street and has served as ISME Vice-Chair since 2023. He has held senior roles across the medical device, pharmaceutical, and construction sectors before moving into retail. Mr Filan has played a leading role in the revitalisation of Sligo town centre and the creation of the Sligo Business Improvement District (BID), which he chairs. He is also a member of the Government Advisory Group for the Town Centre First Policy, the National Retail Forum and steering group member of the Irish Town and City Development Association. He said: 'I'm honoured to take on the role of ISME chair at a time when the SME sector is facing both significant challenges and real opportunities. As someone based in the regions, I am particularly focused on ensuring that the voice of SMEs, the backbone of the Irish economy, continues to be heard.' Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME, said: 'Finbarr brings exceptional experience and a deep understanding of both SME business realities and the broader policy environment. He is a passionate advocate for town centre regeneration and for ensuring our regional economies thrive. We are delighted to have him lead the Association at this important time.' Mr Filan will be focused on securing formal representation for SMEs on the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF). He argues for reform of how the National Minimum Wage is calculated, ensuring it reflects real cost-of-living solutions rather than driving what he says is unsustainable wage inflation. He also champions town centre regeneration through enhanced supports for repurposing derelict buildings and advocates VAT rule changes to support earlier SME entry into export markets. On legal and insurance reform, Finbarr is calling for a statutory defence against transient retail defamation and implementation of key recommendations from the Kelly Report to help reduce public liability insurance costs and protect SME viability. Finbarr holds a BTech in Manufacturing Technology, ACCA Dip in Accounting and Finance and Post Grad Diplomas in European Studies and Management. He takes over the role from outgoing Chair Marc O'Dwyer.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Sligo businessman is new chair of ISME and will seek reform of how the National Minimum Wage is calculated
A native of Sligo town, Finbarr operates the award-winning family-owned Centra store in Castle Street, Sligo and has served as ISME Vice-Chair since 2023. He has held senior roles across the medical device, pharmaceutical, and construction sectors before moving into retail. Filan has played a leading role in the revitalisation of Sligo town centre and the creation of the Sligo Business Improvement District (BID), which he chairs. He is also a member of the Government Advisory Group for the Town Centre First Policy, the National Retail Forum and steering group member of the Irish Town and City Development Association. He said: 'I'm honoured to take on the role of ISME Chair at a time when the SME sector is facing both significant challenges and real opportunities. As someone based in the regions, I am particularly focused on ensuring that the voice of SMEs, the backbone of the Irish economy, continues to be heard.' Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME, said: 'Finbarr brings exceptional experience and a deep understanding of both SME business realities and the broader policy environment. He is a passionate advocate for town centre regeneration and for ensuring our regional economies thrive. We are delighted to have him lead the Association at this important time.' Filan will be focused on securing formal representation for SMEs on the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF). He argues for reform of how the National Minimum Wage is calculated, ensuring it reflects real cost-of-living solutions rather than driving what he says is unsustainable wage inflation. He also champions town centre regeneration through enhanced supports for repurposing derelict buildings and advocates VAT rule changes to support earlier SME entry into export markets. On legal and insurance reform, Finbarr is calling for a statutory defence against transient retail defamation and implementation of key recommendations from the Kelly Report to help reduce public liability insurance costs and protect SME viability. Finbarr holds a BTech in Manufacturing Technology, ACCA Dip in Accounting and Finance and Post Grad Diplomas in European Studies and Management. He takes over the role from outgoing Chair Marc O'Dwyer.
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Tariffs, high building costs, stingy lending make for curious revival of split-levels
With six kids, a housekeeper named Alice and Tiger the dog, the fictitious "Brady Bunch" of the 1970s sitcom filmed in a real-life mid-century California house, a perfectly groovy set for all the shenanigans that made the show so popular. More than 50 years later, that split-level trend is resurfacing, but it's not because of a newfound appreciation for the retro style. President Donald Trump's tariffs - on top of already high construction and borrowing costs - have made the staggered floors of a split-level an affordable design that doesn't sacrifice square footage. The "Brady Bunch" home was a quintessential split-level: semi-open living spaces spread through several off-set levels connected by short flights of stairs. The layout gave it an open feel that became a coveted option for suburban families that aspired to more than their boring, tract-style houses. The initial obsession with splits, however, didn't last long. By the 1980s, buyers started favoring more impressive two-story houses and open-plan ramblers that offered one-level living. Now, the "split" has new life thanks to several Twin Cities builders, who are betting a variation of that "Brady Bunch" house called a split-entry will help attract a new generation of budget-conscious buyers. "We went several years without building any," said Dale Wills, the owner and founder of Centra Homes. "They're a major focus for us right now, and there's a good reason for it." Split-entry plans, which typically have a foyer positioned between an upper and lower level, are the most common splits in the metro. Once inside the front entry, there's a few stairs going up and a few heading down to an only half-buried lower level. Centra, a Twin Cities-based company that caters to entry-level buyers, started doubling down on splits when mortgage rates began rising in 2022, Wills said. And now, with house prices already at record highs and pending tariffs on building materials threatening to add tens of thousands of dollars to a new home's cost, the plan has become even more relevant. Last month, the median price of all home sales nearly breached $400,000, while the price of a new single-family house in the Twin Cities topped $540,000, according to a new report from the Minnesota Realtors. The report also said a new house typically fetches a nearly 45% premium compared to an existing one. With buyers still outnumbering sellers in some parts of the metro, builders are especially eager to attract first-time buyers like Kyleigh Besta and Michael Smith. Besta said she and Smith, her fiancé, were originally shopping for an inexpensive, older house they could fix up and eventually flip. But they realized the cost of buying a new house was comparable to that of a used one. So they recently bought a split-entry house within a Centra development called Fox Run in North Branch, Minnesota. Single-family splits there are now priced at $342,000 to $369,900, a sweet spot for first-timers. "We found a new home that we could put equity in," she said. "And it had almost everything we wanted upstairs." The equity opportunity is on the unfinished lower level, which will nearly double the living space once the couple completes it. Because their lower level has foundation walls only half as high as a traditional basement, which is nearly fully underground, the floor has large, full-size windows. Smaller, egress-style windows often make stereotypical basements "feel more like a dungeon," Besta said. The discount on such splits can vary dramatically depending on the floor plan and location. Builders said they can be less expensive to construct because they're a quicker build, which brings down labor costs. They also tend to have a more compact footprint, reducing building materials. Centra's split-level Maple plan costs about $211,949 to build compared to $228,696 for its single-level Pine plan with a full basement. That's a savings of nearly $17,000, or about 8% less in hard construction totals alone, not including the land and other costs, Wills said. Including the typical builder markup, the retail difference is nearly $20,000. Wills said that's a meaningful gap for current buyers, especially those trying to stay under financing thresholds or looking to avoid high monthly payments. "In today's market, affordability and efficiency are driving consumer behavior," Wills said. "The split-entry home has emerged as a clear winner on both fronts." Splits with a finished basement, Wills said, often provide more than 2,400 square feet of space, but they also offer buyers more flexibility than other floorplans. "Many buyers love that splits can offer the feel of a two-story in a smaller package," he said. "With multi-level separation, that works well for today's families." Plus, because a split tends to have a tighter footprint, they can also fit on smaller, less-expensive lots. Peter Barile is a Twin Cities sales agent who is also on the board of the local chapter of Docomomo, a nonprofit devoted to modern design that has organized tours of architecturally significant split levels. He said the onus for many of those on-display splits, including the one he lives in, was to take advantage of relatively "unbuildable" lots. Sloped land or areas with a high water table that wouldn't be suitable to a full basement, for example, also tend to be less expensive. Lennar, the nation's largest homebuilder, has a split-entry plan in Zimmerman, Minnesota, with three bedrooms on the upper level and two bedrooms on the lower, listed for $369,783. And regional builder Capstone Homes is offering what it calls a "budget-friendly split-level" plan at its Pine Vale project in Somerset, Wisconsin. A five-bedroom house there with nearly 2,300 square feet is on the market for $419,900. At Anna's Acres in Otsego, Minnesota, the company is selling a nearly 2,900-square-foot, five-bedroom split-level for $469,900. Splits are a trend "primarily driven by cost," per Zach Adams, the owner of Wright Sherburne Realty and vice president of sales for Centra. When he started selling new houses in 2000, the split-entry was prevalent but eventually went out of favor with buyers. "Some just don't want it," he said. "They want to come in (the front door) and live on the main level." Adams said today, with so many buyers focused solely on price, a home's floorplan becomes a secondary issue. He also knows firsthand the appeal of multi-level living - he owned one in the early 2000s. "My first house was a split," he said. "Now they're coming back." Amanda Zielike, founder of an interactive website devoted to house histories called HouseNovel, said she isn't surprised at the split's return. "It makes sense that more split-entry homes are being developed than split-levels, since they're likely less complex and more cost-effective to construct," she said. In the middle of the past century, when splits peaked in popularity, Zielike said they were a go-to plan for builders looking to offer more space and flexibility. Buyers also loved the layout. It efficiently separated everyday living into distinct zones that reflected the lifestyle of the mid-century American family, which also wanted both openness and privacy in a modest footprint. "While they don't often get the same nostalgic fanfare as Victorians or Craftsmans, they have a surprisingly unique history," she said. "It's been interesting to see them quietly making a comeback and re-entering conversations about practical and affordable housing." 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