Latest news with #O'Shea
RTÉ News
7 hours ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Under 12s should not drink slushies containing glycerol, HSE warns
Letting young children drink slush ice drinks, also known as slushies, is as bad for them as letting them consume antifreeze, according to Health Service Executive National Clinical Lead for Obesity, Professor Donal O'Shea. The warning comes in the wake of research from Children's Health Ireland (CHI) showing that consumption of the sweet frozen drink by those under the age of 12 could lead to a condition known as glycerol intoxication syndrome. The work, published in March, described 21 cases of children with glycerol intoxication syndrome. Prof O'Shea said people needed to be aware of the issue, and if slushies are consumed, it should be in moderation and only for older children. Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Philip Boucher Hayes, he said the ingredient that prevents slushies from completely freezing - glycerol - was the original antifreeze used in cars to stop the water from freezing. While it is no longer used in cars, he said drinking too much glycerol in slushies, "especially for a young brain", is potentially very dangerous. "If you get too much glycerol into a young brain, it shrinks the brain a little bit, and it has been used in the past to treat swelling in the brain as a medical treatment, but a young brain then gets affected." He said people can then present with symptoms like confusion, headaches and nausea. Long-term consumption, the syndrome can cause unconsciousness and seizures, which can lead to serious long-term outcomes. He warned that no young child should consume the product. "If a kid does have a slushie and they say they like it and they want another one, they should certainly not have a couple of them back-to-back". He said that people do not associate a brightly coloured ice drink with negative health consequences for children. "The way these products are positioned and the way they're coloured, kids find them very attractive." Prof O'Shea said if a child was going to have a slushie, it should be one without glycerol, but these tended to have large amounts of sugar, which comes with a high calorie content. According to the Food Safety Authority (FSAI), glycerol or E422, is an approved additive in the EU used in slush ice drinks as a substitute or partial substitute for sugar. It is used because it helps maintain the slushy texture by preventing the liquid from freezing solid. . After reaching that age, they advise people to exercise caution and moderation if they must consume slushies. Prof O'Shea said that he would like to see a very cautious approach to glycerol consumption under the age of 12. "It is an acute intoxication syndrome. Glycerol is an alcohol-like product, so you have acute intoxication with alcohol. "Terrible things happen while you are acutely unwell, like you fall and hit your head, then you are left with the long-term consequences, but then once the alcohol, in this case glycerol, is out of your system, you will be sitting up and you will be well again". He said that if you "wouldn't give a child under the age of seven or eight a glass of whiskey or a glass of wine", and so they really should not be having slushies.
RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
HSE warns over u12s drinking slushies containing glycerol
The Health Service Executive (HSE) National Clinical Lead for Obesity, Professor Donal O'Shea, has said that letting young children drink slush ice drinks, also known as slushies, is as bad for them as letting them drink antifreeze. The warning comes in the wake of research from Children's Health Ireland (CHI) that showed that consumption of the sweet frozen drink by children under the age of 12 could lead to a condition known as glycerol intoxication syndrome. The work published in March by CHI described 21 cases of children with glycerol intoxication syndrome. Prof O'Shea said people needed to be aware of the issue, and if slushies are consumed, it should be in moderation and only for older children. Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Philip Boucher Hayes, Prof O'Shea said the ingredient that prevents slushies from completely freezing - glycerol - was the original antifreeze used in cars to stop the water from freezing. While it is no longer used in cars, he said drinking too much glycerol in slushies, "especially for a young brain", is potentially very dangerous. "If you get too much glycerol into a young brain, it shrinks the brain a little bit, and it has been used in the past to treat swelling in the brain as a medical treatment, but a young brain then gets affected." He said people can then present with symptoms like confusion, headaches and nausea. Long-term consumption, the syndrome can cause unconsciousness and seizures, which can lead to serious long-term outcomes. He warned that no young child should consume the product. "If a kid does have a slushie and they say they like it and they want another one, they should certainly not have a couple of them back-to-back". He said that people do not associate a brightly coloured ice drink with negative health consequences for children. "The way these products are positioned and the way they're coloured, kids find them very attractive." Prof O'Shea said if a child was going to have a slushie, it should be one without glycerol, but these tended to have large amounts of sugar, which comes with a high calorie content. According to the Food Safety Authority (FSAI), Glycerol or E422, is an approved additive in the EU used in slush ice drinks as a substitute or partial substitute for sugar. It is used because it helps maintain the slushy texture by preventing the liquid from freezing solid. . After reaching that age, they advise people to exercise caution and moderation if they must consume slushies. Prof O'Shea said that he would like to see a very cautious approach to glycerol consumption under the age of 12. "It is an acute intoxication syndrome. Glycerol is an alcohol-like product, so you have acute intoxication with alcohol. "Terrible things happen while you are acutely unwell, like you fall and hit your head, then you are left with the long-term consequences, but then once the alcohol, in this case glycerol, is out of your system, you will be sitting up and you will be well again". He said that if you "wouldn't give a child under the age of seven or eight a glass of whiskey or a glass of wine", and so they really should not be having slushies.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bombers ‘not nearly good enough' in third straight loss
TORONTO — It's hard to imagine a worse sentiment surrounding a team that is .500 this early in the season. After running out of the gates to three straight victories, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers find themselves in a freefall down the CFL standings as losers of three in a row, while the same issues continue to plague the team. Their latest defeat, a 31-17 shellacking at the hands of the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field on Saturday, was the club's third straight multi-touchdown loss. It's the first time Winnipeg has dropped three in a row since the beginning of the 2024 season, when they opened the campaign 0-4. Toronto Argonauts running back Khalan Laborn (30) breaks a tackle from Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Marquise Bridges (9) during first half CFL football action in Toronto on Saturday. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press files) Head coach Mike O'Shea said he remains 'very relaxed' about his club's recent stretch because 'the answers are easy.' However, uncovering the solution could prove difficult without the services of the team's starting quarterback, Zach Collaros, who exited the contest early for the second week in a row with an undisclosed injury. Collaros, who was not playing well prior to his injury — he completed five of his 10 passes for 79 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions — emerged from the locker room after halftime without pads on. It's difficult to pinpoint which play he might've sustained an injury on, and O'Shea did not provide an update after the game. It's been the same song and dance over the last three games for the Bombers. The numbers that are most concerning during this stretch: 11 explosive plays allowed on defence; eight interceptions and 17 total turnovers (minus-14 margin); and 18 penalties for 183 yards, several of which have been untimely and proved costly. 'Not nearly good enough. We got to prepare our guys to play smarter, right from the hop. Shouldn't have put ourselves in a bit of a hole early, but it's nothing that's insurmountable,' O'Shea said. 'It's just one of those weird, tough games, and we certainly didn't play well enough to overcome any of the little weird stuff that was going to happen in a game like this.' The Argos (2-5) and Bombers (3-3) will run it back in Winnipeg for the second half of a home-and-home at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday (7:30 p.m.), but before we look ahead, let's put a bow on Week 8 with the latest edition of Five Takeaways. Let's begin with something positive. This was undoubtedly the best performance of the season from the Bombers' pass rush, which entered the week with six sacks collectively, the second-fewest in the league. Toronto Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle (4) gets tackled by Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Trey Vaval (23) during the first half. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press files) Winnipeg sacked Nick Arbuckle five times and constantly pressured him. Although Arbuckle hung in tough, navigating the pocket and using his legs on three occasions for positive gains, this is something the Bombers can build on. The Argonauts entered the contest allowing the most sacks in the CFL with 16, and the Bombers took full advantage of the offensive line. It was the first time James Vaughters made his presence felt in a Bomber uniform, as he finished a 29-yard scoop-and-score in the first quarter and doubled down on the following drive with his first sack of the campaign. Tony Jones paced all players with two sacks, while Devin Adams and rookie defensive end Jay Person also dropped Arbuckle. The Bombers' defence continues to be susceptible to explosive plays, but the pass rush can help limit those chances by getting home more often. Defensive co-ordinator Jordan Younger had seen enough. After a rough outing against the Calgary Stampeders in Week 7, second-year cornerback Marquise Bridges was once again the culprit on a few big gains for the Argos and found himself on the bench before halftime. Bridges' biggest blip came on Toronto's first offensive play of the game, as the club opened with a trick play that saw Arbuckle lateral to Janarion Grant, who found Damonte Coxie for a 41-yard gain. Bridges was caught looking in the backfield as Coxie ran by him. Frankly, he was fortunate that the ball was severely under thrown, or else Coxie would've scored. He got back into the game in the fourth quarter after Trey Vaval exited with a lower-body injury, but it's the first time this season that the Bombers have shaken up the lineup. With the way this team is playing in all three phases, perhaps the coaching staff will consider a change at other positions in search of different results. However, O'Shea, who said co-ordinators have full control of in-game personnel changes, wasn't interested in that idea. 'Knee-jerk reaction change of personnel doesn't necessarily mean everything changes,' he said. 'I think having faith and trust in coaching and coaching hard and working to get results with young guys is pretty important stuff.' Winnipeg couldn't possibly keep Dillon Mitchell off the field any longer, right? The Bombers will be trying out bodies at slotback for the second time in three weeks after Cody Kase suffered what appeared to be a broken leg in the fourth quarter. Case, who replaced Dalton Schoen (six-game injured list) in the lineup, had one catch for nine yards on Saturday. Rookie Joey Corcoran replaced Case, and based on what the Bombers have practised this season, he is perhaps the favourite to suit up in Week 9. Waiting in the shadows is Mitchell, the 28-year-old receiver who hasn't played in a game since being paid a pretty penny to come to Winnipeg in the off-season. It's been one of the great mysteries of the club's season, so far. If Mitchell can't get on the field now, it's hard to imagine what it will take for him to see time. Offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan has said he views Mitchell as a wideout, even though he does carry 14 games of experience playing in the slot. However, if Mitchell is the talent the Bombers thought they were getting when they signed him, then now feels like a good time to inject his skill set into the lineup. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for Brady Oliveira to have one of those signature games. The Argos were fielding the CFL's worst run defence, giving up 118 yards per game, while the Bombers were looking to find some consistency on offence. Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira (20) tries to break through the Toronto Argonauts defence. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press files) Yet, Olivera ran the ball just 13 times. He was efficient again, as he's been all season, amassing 82 yards (6.3 per carry), but Hogan appeared disinterested in leaning on his bell cow even when backup quarterback Christ Streveler entered the contest. Whether Hogan is trying his best to protect Oliveira, who exited the season-opener and missed two games with a shoulder injury, or the large deficits are preventing him from running the ball as much as he'd like to, is up for debate, but it's odd that the reigning Most Outstanding Player has yet to truly make his impact felt this season. The Bombers need better play from their quarterbacks. Collaros and Streveler have combined for an eye-watering 4:8 touchdown-interception ratio over the last three contests. Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Chris Streveler (17) scrambles to recover the football during the first half. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press files) It all starts with the quarterback, and if Winnipeg is going to get back on the winning trail, it will need whoever is under centre to make better decisions moving forward. Streveler, whose two interceptions in Week 7 crippled the Bombers, was better in relief against the Argos, completing 11 of his 18 passes for 148 yards while connecting with Jerreth Sterns on a touchdown in the fourth quarter. However, those numbers still weren't good enough. If it's him at the helm again, the club will need him to drive the offence, much like he did back in Week 2. If it's Collaros, who has thrown two interceptions in four of his five starts this season, protecting the ball must take precedence over looking for the big play. X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kilshannig find all the answers in win over Newmarket
Cork Senior A FC: Kilshannig 1-18 (1-1-16) Newmarket 0-14 (0-2-10) A searching test of Kilshannig's credentials before they found their answers quickly to questions posed by Newmarket in the McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC at Kilbrin on Saturday evening. Few could argue with the outcome, the promoted Premier Intermediate champions performed with intensity and a purpose to claim an impressive win. Apart from a nervous opening in their debut outing in the grade, Kilshannig put together an attractive brand of football. Sluggish early on, Kilshannig did open the scoring with a Michael Murphy point yet Newmarket held the upperhand at midfield, that allowed Conor O'Keeffe, Aidan Browne, Cathal Browne and Barry O'Connor to deliver a run of points. Kilshannig proceeded to steady the ship, shaping up the better of the two sides through the impressive play of Shane O'Connell, Colm O'Shea, Eanna O'Hanlon and Jack Twomey in key departments. Quick-fire points from Darragh O'Sullivan, O'Hanlon and O'Shea helped square up the game. And on 13 minutes, Kilshannig exposed space within the Newmarket defence, Alan O'Connell accepting a pass from his brother Shane to net from close range for the game's only goal. Kieran Twomey added a point before Newmarket put the brakes on the Kilshannig surge briefly, Cathal Browne obliged with a two-pointer, the ball hopping over the Kilshannig crossbar. Again Kilshannig responded in a productive spell, a run of five consecutive points from Twomey, O'Hanlon and O'Sullivan helped secure a 1-10 to 0-7 advantage at the interval. The sides exchanged points on the restart yet Kilshannig found a slicker gear, the influential O'Shea and O'Hanlon bisecting the uprights. Kilshannig lost O'Shea to injury before the loudest cheer of the game greeted a massive two-pointer from former Cork senior Killian O'Hanlon just after entering the fray as a substitute. Though a disappointing Newmarket answered with a Barry O'Connor point, the Glantane side continued to hold the upperhand, Twomey pointing back to back. Newmarket weren't prepared to let their challenge completely collapse, answering back with four points that included a two-pointer free from Hugh O'Connor. However, Kilshannig controlled the latter stages, seeing out the remaining minutes without fuss, a Jack Twomey point completed a satisfactory outing, a historic occasion for the club by recording a first-time championship victory at senior level. A positive start to the campaign for Kilshannig, who now face Kanturk. Newmarket will seek an improvement against Éire Óg. Scorers for Kilshannig: E O'Hanlon 0-5 (0-2 f), K Twomey 0-4, D O'Sullivan 0-3 (0-1 f), A O'Connell 1-0, K O'Hanlon 0-2 (1 pt), C O'Shea 0-2, M Murphy, J Twomey 0-1 each. Newmarket: H O'Connor 0-4 (0-1 tpf, 0-1 f), C Browne 0-3 (1 tp), C O'Keeffe 0-2 (0-1 f), B O'Connor 0-2, R O'Keeffe (45), A Browne, D O'Keeffe 0-1 each. KILSHANNIG: G Creedon; C Murphy, E Burke, S O'Connell; E Healy, C O'Shea, C Geary; S Murphy, C O'Connell; A O'Connell, K Twomey, M Murphy; J Twomey, D O'Sullivan, E O'Hanlon. Subs: K O'Hanlon for M Murphy (38), B Creedon for C O'Shea (41 inj). NEWMARKET: J O'Keeffe; M Browne, R Lynn, J O'Connor; P Allen, A Ryan, B Daly; C Browne, A Browne; D O'Keeffe, B O'Connor, D Hannon; H O'Connor, C O'Keeffe, R O'Keeffe. Subs: B Newman for J O'Keeffe (36 inj), C Crowley for D Hannon (43), E Goggin for A Ryan (43). Referee: Pa O'Driscoll (Bride Rovers).
South Wales Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Centrica calls for new customer ban on rival Octopus amid row over Ofgem rules
Chief executive Chris O'Shea claimed it was 'criminal' that Ofgem has not stepped in to take action against three firms that are understood to have failed to meet financial resilience targets – with Britain's biggest energy supplier Octopus among them. He demanded that the regulator stops the suppliers from taking on new customers, claiming that Ofgem is not properly enforcing the rule that came into force earlier this year. This could leave the sector at risk of another possible future wave of firms going bust, similar to that seen in the 2021-22 energy crisis, he warned. On announcing half-year results, Mr O'Shea said: 'Ofgem is not applying its own rules. 'They're increasing the risk of systemic failure in the market.' He said it was 'criminal' that Ofgem is putting the industry in a 'situation where that could happen again'. 'It's simply about protecting customers and asking the regulator to enforce its own rules,' he added. Ofgem has not revealed which suppliers have failed the test, but Octopus – which supplies more than seven million households – has confirmed it did not meet the targets for capital adequacy by the April 1 deadline. It said it has, however, agreed a plan with Ofgem to reach the target, which means it is not in breach of the rules. An Octopus Energy spokesperson said: 'This is yet more naked self-interest from British Gas. 'They would do well to obsess about their customers rather than their rivals. They added: 'We fully comply with Ofgem's rules and our resilience meant we not only thrived through the energy crisis but bailed out Bulb – saving British billpayers billions.' Ofgem also confirmed that firms that have agreed a plan to meet resilience targets are not breaching its rules and therefore do not need to have sanctions put on them, such as being banned from taking on new customers. A spokesperson for Ofgem said: 'Our financial resilience controls are clear that where a supplier is not meeting the capital target but has a credible and agreed plan in place that is not a breach of the rules. 'Capitalisation plans come with restrictions and controls. We expect suppliers to deliver on those plans and adhere to their restrictions and are monitoring closely.'
