Many fast food favorites have what health experts consider dangerously high levels of phthalates, toxic plastic chemicals that leech into food products. These chemicals migrate from plastic packaging, manufacturing equipment like PVC conveyor belts, plastic tubing and workers' gloves during handling. Many items on PlasticList contained thousands of nanograms of other phthalates in addition to DEHP, such as DEHT and DEHA. Unlike DEHP, DEHT has shown no evidence of reproductive toxicity in rat studies and does not appear to have the same adverse effects on reproductive organs. DEHA, used in food packaging, is metabolized differently than DEHP and is generally less potent as an endocrine disruptor.

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press AssociationIt was “rather dubious” whether an all-island court would lead to the conviction of more fugitives, according to Ireland’s attorney general in 1982. The suggestion of a joint British-Irish court was discussed during the 1980s. In a document labelled “strictly confidential”, released this year as part of the National Archives in Dublin, Mr Connolly told the new Irish government that he was against the suggestion of an all-island court. He recounted a meeting his predecessor had with the British attorney general about extradition, joint interrogation and an “all-island court” and then gave his view, according to the memo. “It was agreed that the term ‘all-island court’ was politically sensitive and that a more appropriate title might be ‘joint court’.”– This article is based on documents contained in the file labelled 2025/125/294 in the National Archives of Ireland.

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The biggest sporting moments of 2025Michael BoltonFrom Rory McIlroy's heroics in Augusta to Kate O'Connor at the World Championships, it has been yet another memorable year for Irish sport. 2025 was a year full of drama, surprise, and heartbreak in the sporting world. As the year comes to an end, sit back and remember some of the biggest sporting moments of the year. It was also a historic month for Irish football, as both Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers qualified for the Conference League. OctoberShamrock Rovers were League of Ireland champions once again, their fourth in five years.

‌From January 4, the snow could fall as far south as Norfolk and the middle of Wales. The Northeast was forecast to see the most snowfall, however, with anything from one to five inches expected to fall. ‌At the same time, latest weather maps showed snow was forecast to fall in the Scottish Highlands, the East coast of England, East Anglia, Wales, and even in Cornwall. View 3 Images Snow could fall as far south as London, weather maps revealed (Image: Ventusky)‌Latest weather maps show Arctic snow first hitting the UK on New Year's Eve, with Scotland mainly affected. By the end of New Year's Day, snow was forecast to fall across most of the North Sea.

The Government is planning a crackdown on “bogus” English language schools that are acting as a “convenient backdoor for immigration”, the higher education minister has said. James Lawless has said while there are good examples of English language schools across the country, some are acting as a “tick box exercise” to allow people to get work permits. “The quality mark, I suppose, will weed out any providers that are substandard or maybe gaming the system,” he said. It will be rolled out for all colleges and universities which take in international students, Mr Lawless added. Mr Lawless said the levy paid will go back into the higher education sector, being collected against a percentage of student intake.

Fair Seas Ireland’s long-promised network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) is inching forward at a painfully slow pace. MPAs are areas of our seas and coasts designed to legally protect nature in our seas from activities that damage them. This is just the first step in drafting the necessary legislation to designate and manage marine protected areas in Irish waters. Jack O'Donovan Trá: 'Ireland has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to design an MPA network that avoids the pitfalls seen elsewhere.' Ireland now has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to design an MPA network that avoids the pitfalls seen elsewhere.

Yes, we’ve said that we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. We need to recognize that Ukraine can win and that a Ukrainian victory is in the interests of the geopolitical West. Ukraine has deprived Russia of control of the sky, and Ukraine has held Russia to an effective stalemate on the ground: in fact, Ukraine today controls more of its own territory than it did immediately after Russia’s full-scale incursion. Ukraine has held out for so long because of its own military innovation and arms from the West. And Western military support for Ukraine is limited more by money than by political will.

Athlone’s Pat Stokes, centre of picture, with his European championships bronze medal, and in front, his three younger brothers, at John Noe Nevin’s Mullingar Shuffler Gym after his success in Germany. European bronze medal for young Athlone boxerThere was quite a welcome recently at Olympic boxer John Joe Nevin’s gym in Mullingar for Athlone teenager Pat Stokes, who made Ireland proud at the Under-17 European Boxing Championships in Germany. Competing in the 46kg division, Stokes battled through tough competition to secure a bronze medal, marking a major achievement in his young career. The Under-17 European Championships, held in Kienbaum near Berlin, brought together the continent’s top youth boxers, with competitors from more than 30 countries vying for medals. Although Nevin’s gym only opened this year, it has already seen its members win five Irish titles, with Stokes’ European bronze adding to its growing reputation.

The Government was dubious about the offer of a $1bn investment in the Whitegate oil refinery and Whiddy Island oil terminal in Cork from a group of Saudi investors in the mid-1990s because the plans were “sketchy", while their advisors showed a “lack of technical and business competence”. As part of their plans, they proposed to transfer crude oil shipped to Whiddy via a pipeline to Whitegate. File Picture: Denis MinihaneHowever, a Saudi banker advising the group had not passed on Mr Cowen’s letter. The ambassador also pointed out that the group’s advisers had not been impressive and some of their information had been incorrect. Ultimately the Government announced in March 1995 that the INPC was investing IR£18m to restore the Whiddy oil terminal following a devastating fire at the facility in 1979.

There are signs of trouble ahead between the US and the EU on the issue of regulation of big tech. The US is also targeting the Digital Markets Act which aims to curb monopolistic practices. It is being driven in large part by the big US digital tech companies but also a US desire to allow platforms to promote Trump’s far-right agenda in Europe. Ireland, as the European home of many US digital tech firms, will be at the centre of this developing row. Some of these firms are already lobbying the Government and it is quite possible that Irish regulators could be targeted.

However files released to National Archives at Kew, west London, show that Mr Blair rejected his request for intelligence-sharing insisting the UK had to protect the confidentiality of it sources. Instead the Irish leader had to settle for an assurance that the British ambassador would brief his officials if any threat to Sellafield was uncovered. Writing to Mr Blair following the March 2004 coordinated bomb attacks by Islamist extremists on the Madrid commuter network which left 193 dead, Mr Ahern said it underlined the “ruthlessness and determination” of global terrorists. “I understand your concerns to safeguard the integrity of sensitive information about nuclear facilities and the need to guard against detailed information on the design and nature of nuclear facilities falling into dangerous hands. Mr Ahern was still unhappy, complaining that while he understood the need to protect intelligence sources “the protection of the lives and health of our citizens should have priority”.

The files show that the Northern Ireland Courts Service had set up a working group in 2004 to consider the use of Irish in courts and tribunals as part of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. Judith Gillespie was an assistant chief constable in the PSNI in 2004 (Paul Faith/PA)This included opening a consultation process including the judiciary, legal professional bodies, public bodies and Irish language groups. It added: “In terms of the use of a particular minority language, Irish, this may give rise to the question why other languages should not be accorded the same facilities. The response concluded: “In the balance of rights we would have to express concerns that the impact of such a demand will have an adverse impact on the provision of a legal process that is fair and timely. She said: “I feel that even for an Irish language court there would still be a need to use translators and interpreters for Irish to English to assist court officials and police officers who are not Irish speakers.

As part of the annual release of previously confidential Government files from the National Archives of Ireland, it has been revealed that there were concerns over a “risk of suicide” around Stakeknife. The document, stamped “seen by Taoiseach”, came days after Mr Scappiticci was named in several media outlets – with the inquiry official seemingly corroborating the reports. Further asked if there were “health and safety concerns” for Stakeknife, the inspector said it was “not our concern” and that “MI5 and the PSNI are presumably looking after him”. Mr Scappaticci was arrested, interviewed under caution, and files on him were submitted to the director of public prosecutions for Northern Ireland. UK authorities have declined to officially identify Stakeknife, a position described by Mr Boutcher as “untenable and bordering on farce”.

The powersharing institutions were established following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and ministers held their first Executive meeting in December the following year. Then Northern Ireland secretary Peter Mandelson (PA)However, in February 2000 the institutions were suspended by then Secretary of State Peter Mandelson due to a lack of progress on IRA decommissioning. After a statement from the IRA pledging to put arms “completely and verifiably” beyond use, the Assembly and Executive were restored in May 2000. The paper said: “Northern Ireland is on the cusp of a new beginning. “It is a beginning that offers the real prospect of enduring political stability and self-government.