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Irish Cancer Society welcomes ban on tanning happy hours and unlimited use saying sunbeds are as carcinogenic as tobacco or plutonium The Irish Cancer society has welcomed the new health and safety regulations on the use of sunbeds will come into affect from from March 2nd.
The updated regulations were announced by Health Minister, Leo Varadkar on Monday and will see commercial sunbed ‘happy hours’, and 'unlimited' or 'free' use of sunbeds by tanning and beauty salons banned in an effort to reduce skin cancer. Kathleen O’Meara, spokesperson for the Irish Cancer Society said the group would advise everybody against sunbed use, and that it was vital that young people who are most at risk were protected. “These new regulations highlight the dangers of sunbed use for everyone, whatever your age or skin type. Sunbed use is as carcinogenic as tobacco or plutonium," she said. "It is our hope that this legislation will mark a turning point in attitudes to using sunbeds in Ireland," she added. Minister Varadkar said the regulations were designed to "make sure that adults know the risks". “More and more evidence is emerging that using a sunbed without protective eyewear can damage the eye and potentially cause cancers. These new measures will ensure that protective eyewear which meets safety standards is used,”he said. RESTRICTIONS The changes will add further restrictions on sunbed use, following on from the then health minister, Dr James Reilly's ban on under 18s using them. The measures come under the Public Health (Sunbeds) Act. HIGH RISK Sunbeds are classified as a group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Regular use can cause melanoma skin cancer, one of the most common causes of cancer in Ireland, with more than 850 new cases of melanoma each year. More than 150 Irish people die each year from melanoma. SIGNAGE The new regulations will mean that sunbed shops and business that offer their use will have to display warning signs for patrons and provide information on the risks involved with their use. They must also refrain from posting any health claims. People who still use sunbeds will now have to wear protective eyewear by law, and won’t be able to use sunbeds without supervision. It's also understood that new rules regarding hygiene standards are to be put in place.  pic: wikimedia commons Health Minister says situation in Ireland's emergency departments is worse than this time last year.The Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar has promised a renewed effort to tackle overcrowding in Ireland's emergency departments, after admitting to the media that the current situation was worse than this time last year.
"I would now like to see the Emergency Department Taskforce Action Plan completed as soon as possible and put into operation without delay,” Minister Varadkar said. He outlined a number of measures aimed at tackling the ongoing problem, including extra beds and recruitment of frontline staff. TRANSITIONAL CARE BEDS Mr Varadkar said 250 transitional care beds came on line this month, thats in addition to the 500 beds in private nursing homes that were introduced in January. These beds will be used to free up space in acute hospitals. A further 173 short stay beds will be utilised for a period of three months to deal with extra hospital admissions, due to the current flu virus. RECRUITMENT The minister also said that arrangements are in place in the HSE to recruit frontline staff where it has been established that there is an urgent service requirement. New posts are expected to come on line at hospitals in Dublin, Limerick, Drogheda and Naas. MEDIA CAMPAIGN It's also understood that the HSE will be running a media campaign to encourage members of the public to use minor injury units and local injury units, instead of clogging up emergency departments. OTHER ACTIONS In his statement, Mr Varadkar also said that patients with private health insurance will be diverted to private hospitals where consultants have admitting right , and patients who have been medically stabilised will be transferred to other hospitals that manage patients requiring non-complex care. All non-urgent elective cases will continue to be deferred, to retain focus on emergency departments.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Brian's family and friends, and all his classmates and colleagues from the Journalism course at the University of Limerick.
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| Clare Daily challenges the Government on the Fatal Foetal Abnormality Bill in the Dail last week. |  Labour TD for Clare, Michael McNamara, who said he plans to introduce a new bill to the Dail on the same matter. |
commons.wikimedia.org: Dublin City Marathon 2006
Business diaspora invited to gather at home with their bicycles and lycra
Diaspora Minister, Jimmy Deenihan is planning to build major networking events around two major Irish sporting events in an effort to entice Irish diaspora to attend.
Talking today, the Minister said he hoped that members of the diaspora would take the opportunity to travel home and compete in the Dublin City Marathon and the Ring of Kerry Cycle, while also using the trip to build new business relationships.
“I hope that members of our diaspora will travel home to take part in these exciting events. The initiative is an opportunity not only to visit home and take part in a major charity event but also to meet with members of the Irish diaspora from all over the world.”
PROMOTION
The events will be promoted around the world by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Embassies and Consulates General and by the State agencies.
The Irish International Business Network and the Irish Network USA will also encourage members of the diaspora working in business overseas to return home to take part in the event.
All groups hope that it will also be a networking opportunity for these business people both at home and abroad.
Talking today, the Minister said he hoped that members of the diaspora would take the opportunity to travel home and compete in the Dublin City Marathon and the Ring of Kerry Cycle, while also using the trip to build new business relationships.
“I hope that members of our diaspora will travel home to take part in these exciting events. The initiative is an opportunity not only to visit home and take part in a major charity event but also to meet with members of the Irish diaspora from all over the world.”
PROMOTION
The events will be promoted around the world by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Embassies and Consulates General and by the State agencies.
The Irish International Business Network and the Irish Network USA will also encourage members of the diaspora working in business overseas to return home to take part in the event.
All groups hope that it will also be a networking opportunity for these business people both at home and abroad.
The FSAI hotline dealt with an increase in consumer calls that included dead maggots and glass found in food.
Dead maggots and glass were among the contamination complaint reports made via the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) telephone and online hotline during 2014.
FOREIGN OBJECTS
Other foreign objects in foodstuffs reported by consumers included a razor blade found in minced meat, a cigarette found in a fruit brack, a fly in a jar of marmalade, an insect in an apple tart and even the the tip of an knife found in spare ribs. Takeaway food was also under the spotlight as one consumer reporting finding wire in their food.
QUERIES
The dedicated line dealt with over 14,300 calls that included both queries and complaints.
nearly three thousand of the calls related to complaints by consumers about food and food premises, while over 11500 calls included requests for advice from food businesses and retailers.
All complaints received by the FSAI were followed up and investigated by the HSE’s environmental health officers throughout the country.
The FSAI said that the increased activity reflected a growing demand for information about labeling requirements and also information for new food related business start-ups. However calls also reflected a growing awareness among consumers of the need to report poor hygiene practice.
FOOD LABELING
The FSAI say that calls to the advice Line seeking advice showed a dramatic increase in requests for information on food labelling (up 100% on 2013), coinciding with the introduction of new laws requiring the labelling of specific allergens on all loose food. Other advice sought included information on new business startups, training, standards and legislation, as well as requests for FSAI publications.
Edel Smyth, Information Manager for the FSAI said consumers have become more vigilant in recent years and are now much more likely to report poor hygiene or food safety standards that they encounter.
" This is a welcome development and we continue to encourage anyone who has had a bad experience to report the matter to us so that the issue can be investigated directly.”
“ Poor standards are often the result of inadequate staff training and a failure to follow best practices to safeguard customers’ health. This is inexcusable given the substantial information and resources available to assist food businesses,” says Ms Smyth.
HOTLINE INFORMATION
The FSAI Advice Line, which operates from 9am to 5pm weekdays, is manned by trained advisors and food scientists and can be reached on lo-call 1890 336677. Alternatively, anyone can email their enquiry to info@fsai.ie or through the ‘make a complaint’ section of the FSAI website. The FSAI facebook and Twitter pages are also resources with up-to-the-minute information in relation food safety: www.facebook.com/FSAI and @FSAIinfo.
FOREIGN OBJECTS
Other foreign objects in foodstuffs reported by consumers included a razor blade found in minced meat, a cigarette found in a fruit brack, a fly in a jar of marmalade, an insect in an apple tart and even the the tip of an knife found in spare ribs. Takeaway food was also under the spotlight as one consumer reporting finding wire in their food.
QUERIES
The dedicated line dealt with over 14,300 calls that included both queries and complaints.
nearly three thousand of the calls related to complaints by consumers about food and food premises, while over 11500 calls included requests for advice from food businesses and retailers.
All complaints received by the FSAI were followed up and investigated by the HSE’s environmental health officers throughout the country.
The FSAI said that the increased activity reflected a growing demand for information about labeling requirements and also information for new food related business start-ups. However calls also reflected a growing awareness among consumers of the need to report poor hygiene practice.
FOOD LABELING
The FSAI say that calls to the advice Line seeking advice showed a dramatic increase in requests for information on food labelling (up 100% on 2013), coinciding with the introduction of new laws requiring the labelling of specific allergens on all loose food. Other advice sought included information on new business startups, training, standards and legislation, as well as requests for FSAI publications.
Edel Smyth, Information Manager for the FSAI said consumers have become more vigilant in recent years and are now much more likely to report poor hygiene or food safety standards that they encounter.
" This is a welcome development and we continue to encourage anyone who has had a bad experience to report the matter to us so that the issue can be investigated directly.”
“ Poor standards are often the result of inadequate staff training and a failure to follow best practices to safeguard customers’ health. This is inexcusable given the substantial information and resources available to assist food businesses,” says Ms Smyth.
HOTLINE INFORMATION
The FSAI Advice Line, which operates from 9am to 5pm weekdays, is manned by trained advisors and food scientists and can be reached on lo-call 1890 336677. Alternatively, anyone can email their enquiry to info@fsai.ie or through the ‘make a complaint’ section of the FSAI website. The FSAI facebook and Twitter pages are also resources with up-to-the-minute information in relation food safety: www.facebook.com/FSAI and @FSAIinfo.
Global management consulting company, Accenture say they plan to bring on line 250 new positions by the end of their fiscal year at the end of August 2015.
Accenture, a global management consulting and technology services and outsourcing company plans to hire 250 new staff within Ireland by the end of their fiscal year (August 2015).
NEW ROLES
The new roles will span a wide range of skills and capabilities and will also offer opportunities for candidates from experienced executives to entry level and recent graduates.
Accentures Irish based managing diredtor, Alastair Blair said that there was a wealth of talent in the country, and the company where pleased to offer people the opportunity to develop careers with them.
“We are seeking highly motivated, skilled individuals who share our passion and commitment to client service. Professionals who join our team will have access to the latest technology and will receive training and professional development opportunities to expand their business, industry and technical skills.”
SKILLS LIST
Accenture’s recruitment drive is focused primarily on professionals who offer:
Details on currently available roles can be found on accenture.com/irelandjobs.
MORE GOOD NEWS
This announcement by Accenture comes on the same day that cloud computing company, SalesSense announced the creation of 100 new jobs at a new facility in Dundalk in County Louth.
Chief executive of SalesSense, Ger Teahon told the Dundalk Democrat newspaper that the company had looked at a number of sites across the country before settling on their Dundalk location. He noted that the proximity to airports in Dublin and Belfast and close proximity to Dundalk Institute of Technology were major factors in the final decision.
NEW ROLES
The new roles will span a wide range of skills and capabilities and will also offer opportunities for candidates from experienced executives to entry level and recent graduates.
Accentures Irish based managing diredtor, Alastair Blair said that there was a wealth of talent in the country, and the company where pleased to offer people the opportunity to develop careers with them.
“We are seeking highly motivated, skilled individuals who share our passion and commitment to client service. Professionals who join our team will have access to the latest technology and will receive training and professional development opportunities to expand their business, industry and technical skills.”
SKILLS LIST
Accenture’s recruitment drive is focused primarily on professionals who offer:
- Technology, digital and analytical skills across key areas including SAP, Oracle, cloud computing and analytics.
- Industry expertise across areas including Financial Services, Communications, Media & Entertainment and the Food and Agricultural sector.
Details on currently available roles can be found on accenture.com/irelandjobs.
MORE GOOD NEWS
This announcement by Accenture comes on the same day that cloud computing company, SalesSense announced the creation of 100 new jobs at a new facility in Dundalk in County Louth.
Chief executive of SalesSense, Ger Teahon told the Dundalk Democrat newspaper that the company had looked at a number of sites across the country before settling on their Dundalk location. He noted that the proximity to airports in Dublin and Belfast and close proximity to Dundalk Institute of Technology were major factors in the final decision.