Latest news with #EnvironmentalHealth
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Ballymaguire Foods suspends production at affected facility following listeriosis-linked death
Ready meal manufacturer Ballymaguire Foods has temporarily suspended production at its affected facility after a person died following an "extensive outbreak" of listeriosis. Nine other cases have been confirmed in recent days, leading to over 200 food products being recalled. Advertisement In a statement, Ballymaguire Foods apologised to customers and confirmed that production would be temporarily suspended at the affected facility. "Incidents of this nature are extremely rare for us. We are treating it with the utmost seriousness and are working closely with all parties to manage the situation swiftly and responsibly. "Immediately upon identifying the issue, we informed our retail and foodservice customers and engaged with all relevant authorities, including the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), the Health Service Executive (HSE), and our regional Environmental Health Officer. "Through our retail partners, all products are being withdrawn from the shelves, and a full consumer communication process is underway. Advertisement "As a precautionary measure, and in line with our rigorous response protocols, we made the decision on Saturday to temporarily suspend all production at the affected facility." The food manufacturer said its internal team conducted a comprehensive assessment and implemented "immediate corrective actions", including a "full pharmaceutical-grade clean down of the facility". "In consultation with the relevant statutory bodies and our customers, we will resume production once it is confirmed safe to do so. "We sincerely apologise to our customers and consumers for the concern this may cause." Advertisement 'Food has never been safer' The former head of the Food Safety Authority (FSA), Professor Alan Reilly, has highlighted the extensive safety regulations and control systems in the food industry and said that food has never been safer. Prof Reilly was speaking on RTÉ radio's Today show about the recent outbreak of listeriosis. 'Food has never been safer and the regulations and the control systems that the industry put in place and the auditing of those control systems that are carried out by the regulatory authorities, it's never been better," he said. 'But really, it is not possible to comment on the actual outbreak itself because it's still under investigation and I really do wish them a speedy outcome for that investigation.' Advertisement When asked about the potential impact on the business at the centre of the recall and the possibility of job losses, Professor Reilly said that if the 'financial hit' was significant, the company could go out of business. 'But I think if they have the systems in place, they should be able to recover. Indeed, looking back over the numbers of food crises or foodborne outbreaks that we've had, in most cases the companies do recover.' Professor Reilly outlined the measures that will now have to be taken to investigate the root cause and the procedures to carry out a deep clean of the premises where the outbreak originated so that the factory can resume safe production.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cockroach infestation closes hospital kitchen
A cockroach infestation has forced a hospital to temporarily close its main kitchen. Swansea Bay health board said it discovered the infestation in the under-croft area at Singleton Hospital, Sketty, which had affected some parts of the kitchen. In a statement, it said no clinical areas were affected and all catering staff and food production had been moved to Morriston Hospital's kitchen in Swansea. "All food produced previously at Singleton and stored in cold store freezers has been discarded as a precaution," the health board said, adding it was working closely with Environmental Health to eradicate the infestation. The health board added no patient meals have been impacted. The dining room and coffee shop on site remain open, it said, with food produced off site or purchased from alternative suppliers.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Swansea's Singleton Hospital closes kitchen after cockroach infestation
A cockroach infestation has forced a hospital to temporarily close its main kitchen. Swansea Bay health board said it discovered the infestation in the under-croft area at Singleton Hospital, Sketty, which had affected some parts of the kitchen. In a statement, it said no clinical areas were affected and all catering staff and food production had been moved to Morriston Hospital's kitchen in Swansea. "All food produced previously at Singleton and stored in cold store freezers has been discarded as a precaution," the health board said, adding it was working closely with Environmental Health to eradicate the infestation. The health board added no patient meals have been dining room and coffee shop on site remain open, it said, with food produced off site or purchased from alternative suppliers.
Daily Record
16-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
New Cumnock greenfield housing plan thrown out by planners
The plan to build six new homes north of New Cumnock was deemed to breach East Ayrshire local development plan. A proposal to build six new homes on greenfield land near New Cumnock has been rejected by East Ayrshire Council planners. Officials said that the development failed to meet key housing, environmental and transport policies. The application sought permission for a mix of single-storey and one-and-a-half-storey properties on a 1.94-hectare site around 3.5km southeast of Cumnock. But planning officers recommended refusal, citing multiple breaches of the Local Development Plan and Scotland's national planning framework. The site lies outside the established settlement boundary of New Cumnock and within what the council terms the 'Rural Diversification Area.' While small-scale rural housing is sometimes permitted in such areas, planners said this scheme did not meet any of the accepted exceptions. Exceptions include sites being classed as brownfield land, provide support for rural business or meet any housing need that would justify its remote location. Two objections were submitted during consultation, with concerns raised about over-development of the rural landscape, road safety, lack of public transport and loss of character. Despite this, council consultees including the Ayrshire Roads Alliance and Environmental Health had no objections in principle, subject to conditions. However, the central issue remained the location. The site is currently open agricultural land with no prior development. Officers noted its inaccessibility by foot, cycle or public transport, concluding it would be entirely car-dependent – a key failing under both local and national sustainability goals. The report stated that the proposal is not within a sustainable location served by public transport and will not provide direct, easy, segregated and safe links to local facilities via walking, wheeling and cycling networks. In addition to transport issues, the development was found to conflict with climate mitigation policies. No details were provided on how energy efficiency would be achieved or how carbon emissions would be minimised. Planners also criticised the lack of a soil management strategy, noting the proposal failed to demonstrate how disruption to the undeveloped land would be minimised. Although officials said the design and layout of the homes was broadly acceptable they stressed this did not outweigh the failure to meet rural housing and environmental policies. The application was therefore refused under delegated powers.
South Wales Argus
10-07-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
St Paul's Church, Newport, to be converted into nine flats
St Paul's Church in Commercial Street, Newport, will house six two-bedroom and three three-bedroom units across three floors. The full planning application for the conversion was submitted by A. Brown, and was approved on July 3, 2025, with conditions. A separate listed building consent application is still pending. The church, known for its late Georgian architecture, sits adjacent to Newport city centre. Although not within a designated flood zone, its location near the St Woolos Conservation Area has drawn interest. The conversion will involve significant internal changes, including the installation of new partitions and staircases, as well as roof lights for the attic flat. A notable alteration will be the replacement of stained glass windows with clear glazing. The original stained glass will be repurposed within the building. Externally, the building will be refurbished, and additional space will be allocated for bike and bin storage. Previous planning applications for the site include a listed building consent for 20 flats, which was refused, and an external lighting application, which was granted. The new development has received support from several quarters. The Highways Authority, Environmental Health, and the Principal Heritage Officer have all expressed no objection, provided certain conditions are met. The Senior Scientific Officer recommended car-free or ultra-low emission vehicle restrictions due to the site's proximity to an air quality management area. The ecologist and Natural Resources Wales accepted a bat survey and noted the need for ecological enhancement measures. The tree and landscape officers required tree protection and the use of suitable seed mix for urban meadow areas. Heneb, the Gwent-Glamorgan Archaeological Trust, recommended Level 3 historic building recording as a condition. Welsh Water confirmed foul drainage capacity and stipulated that no surface water should be drained to the sewer. No public objections or representations were received. The scheme aligns with policies promoting the sustainable reuse of vacant land and buildings. Despite being a former community facility, the building's long-term vacancy and poor condition justified its reuse. All units meet internal space standards. Flat 9 in the attic has limited outlook but acceptable light and ventilation. The lack of private outdoor space is mitigated by proximity to city centre facilities. Contributions for affordable housing, education, and leisure, which totalled more than £115,000, were waived following an open book assessment confirming the scheme's unviability. Conditions attached to the approval include requirements for detailed construction management, sound insulation, biodiversity enhancements, waste strategy, archaeological recording, landscaping management, and protection of historic and landscape features.
