CATERING INDUSTRY URGED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT FOOD ALLERGIES

Catering Industry urged to get serious about food allergies New research from safefood has revealed the need for food businesses to train their staff on food allergies. The research , to be revealed for the first time at a one day cross border conference, ‘Food Allergy – the Facts on a Plate’, shows that some staff in food businesses including sandwich bars, cafés, supermarkets and forecourt shops were unable to give allergy sufferers accurate advice about the food they were ordering. When asked by the Environmental Health Officers who carried out the research, serving staff failed to give accurate advice with one in ten showing no understanding, or awareness of peanut allergy, and only a third showing confidence in the advice they gave.

Across the island of Ireland, 55% of samples which tested positive for peanut protein came with the wrong advice. The research findings come as a one day joint European Union and safefood sponsored conference launches a new pilot cross-border training programme for Environmental Health Officers in the Southern and Western Health & Social Services Board areas in Northern Ireland and the North Eastern and North Western HSE areas in the Republic of Ireland.

Funded by safefood and the European Union INTEREG IIIA programme through CAWT (Co-operation and Working Together), the training programme will enable Environmental Health Officers to better advise and support their local food businesses while also providing them with the tools to cascade the training to those businesses. It is hoped that if the pilot is successful, that this innovative training could be made available to Environmental Health Officers across the island.

Dr Ian Leitch, Project Manager for the conference and training programme for safefood and CAWT said: “Food allergy symptoms can range from runny eyes and itchy skin to, in extreme cases, breathing difficulties and a dramatic drop in blood pressure known as anaphylactic shock, which can be life threatening. Those living with food allergies need to be able to accurately assess the risk of eating any food and failure to provide them with accurate information can lead to a potentially life threatening reaction. We are urging food businesses to know their products and their ingredients, and become aware of the foods that are mostly likely to trigger a reaction such as peanuts, nuts and seeds. Vitally, staff should be able to give accurate advice to consumers with allergies. The training programme we are launching will help Environmental Health Officers on both sides of the border address all these issues with their local businesses.”

The ‘Food Allergy - The Facts on a Plate’ conference takes place on 8th February and will include presentations from Professor Jonathan Hourihane, Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at Cork University Hospital and local chef, Andy Rea of the Mourne Seafood Bar in Belfast as well as representatives for support organisations, Allergy NI, the Irish Anaphylaxis Campaign and Allergy Action UK. Conference delegates will also hear from parents living with children with allergies.

SHANNON-HEATHROW ROUTE LOSS WILL SEVERELY AFFECT TOURISM IN THE WEST

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) Shannon Branch today called on the Government to use all means available to ensure the permanent procurement of Heathrow slots for Shannon Airport. The IHF stated that the termination of the Heathrow routes will severely diminish the region's ability to attract business, conference and high-end leisure tourism from key international markets. Since the announcement, at least €100 million in investments in major tourism projects and €150 million in tourism revenue have been jeopardised.

Chairman of the IHF Shannon Branch, Michael Vaughan, stated “It is critical that the Government act swiftly to avert an economic crisis in the region and ensure Shannon Airport retains its vital Heathrow slots. Already, the IHF is aware of at least three major tourism investments totalling over €100 million that are being put on hold as a direct consequence of Aer Lingus’ decision. We’re calling on the Government to use whatever mechanism is required to ensure Shannon Airport continues to offer flights to and from Heathrow.”

“Preliminary estimates put the impact on long-haul tourism and business-related travel at €150 million with over 350,000 passengers flying the Shannon–Heathrow route each year. As a vital access point for long haul and transatlantic flights, I find it impossible to reconcile this decision with the Government’s stated strategy of promoting business and tourism in the regions, particularly in light of the already difficult challenges presented by the Open Skies environment”, added Mr Vaughan.

CAREERS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED BY FAILTE IRELAND

Careers Campaign Launched by Failte Ireland Failte Ireland is launching its annual summer advertising campaign to recruit students to its full time tourism and hospitality courses. The campaign highlights the fantastic career opportunities available in the industry and how participation in these courses can provide students with a pathway to a truly global profession. The campaign will be a multi-media event with press, radio and online advertisements running over a two week period beginning on 6th August.

With the leaving certificate results due on 15th August, Fáilte Ireland has placed a team of executives ready to answer any student or parent queries. This can be done over the phone by calling the People in Tourism office at 1850 256 256. The advertising campaign is part of a broader campaign by Fáilte Ireland to highlight the opportunities available in the tourism and hospitality sector. It began this year with the successful reality TV series “The Masters Apprentice.” This programme is supported by an interactive careers promotion DVD box set which will be distributed to a thousand schools and colleges in September.

With the current pace of expansion in the tourism and hospitality sector, graduates have never before been able to choose from such an array of national or international hotel chains, niche tourism offerings or refined traditional hospitality products. The tourism and hospitality sector is now one of the better paid and most flexible career choices available.

For information on any Fáilte Ireland course please contact the People in Tourism office at 1850 256 256.

PLANS FOR NEW 5* HOTEL FOR GALWAY

Plans for a new upmarket hotel and leisure centre development — which is expected to achieve five star status — on the site of Connacht Laundry in ‘The West’ have been lodged with city planning officials. The developers bought the 2.1 acre site on Henry Street for a massive €30million and are expected to invest a further €50million in completing the development.

According to the project’s backers, the hotel will be in a similar vein to the new Ritz Carlton in Wicklow, which is set to open in the Autumn. The plan involves the demolition of all the Connacht Laundry buildings and a house facing onto St Helen’s Street and the construction of a hotel with 136 suites, seven meeting rooms, restaurant, reception, and a basement leisure centre with a spa and swimming pool.

McCANN BACK IN HOTELS WITH COMFORT INN & QUALITY HOTELS BUY-OUT

Publicly quoted investment holding company TVC Holdings has bought the 11 Comfort Inn and Quality Hotels in Ireland for €41.5m from Choice Hotels Ireland. The chain employs 500 people in Ireland. Former chief executive of Jurys Doyle Pat McCann is among the members of the TVC Holdings consortium. This is TVC Holdings’ first investment following its successful €50m placing and listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and the IEX market of the Irish Stock Exchange in July 2007. A new company will be set up to operate the business.

Pat McCann will be its chief executive. McCann was Jurys Doyle hotel boss from 2000 to 2006. He said: "I believe there is a significant opportunity to develop a substantial upper three-star hotel business in Ireland and to extend this to the UK. We intend to leverage relationships with development partners in the sector to commence the roll-out of our business in the UK within the next two years".