The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that 16 enforcement orders were served on food businesses during the month of October for breaches of food safety legislation.
The orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE), veterinary inspectors in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and sea-fisheries protection officers in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.
Eight closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Longfield Academy (Closed area: Main kitchen used for reheating food), Rockview, Deerpark Rd, Cashel, Tipperary;
- The Restaurant within Carnew Mart, Carnew, Wicklow;
- OCrualaoi Butchers & Delicatessen (Closed area: The Kitchen), Scoil Mhuire Fatima, North Monastery Primary School, North Monastery Road, Cork;
- Eskimo Pizza (Take Away), 31 Deansgrange Road, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin;
- Baking Emporium (Foods of non-Animal Origin Processing), Bridgemount House, Dunmanway, Cork;
- NDM Green Italia (Take Away), 37 Rathmines Road Upper, Rathmines, Dublin 6;
- Grain and Gain (Restaurant/Café), The Bypass Business Park, Bandon, Cork;
- Tinakilly Country House Hotel (Closed Area: Main kitchen - food preparation and adjacent baking area within the main building), Main Street, Rathnew, Wicklow.
The closure order for the popular Tinakilly Country House Hotel cited a rodent infestation in the main kitchen as well as rodent droppings being found below the dishwasher.
Four closure orders were also served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Tasty Mac's (Take Away), Main Street, Falcarragh, Donegal;
- Welcome Home (Retailer), 2 Kickham Place, Tipperary Town, Tipperary;
- CoCo Asian & Chinese Takeaway, Main Street, Ballingarry, Limerick;
- Istanbul Kebab House (Restaurant/Café), 29 Lower Liffey Street, Dublin 1.
One Improvement Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Turkmen Grill, 1-2 Parnell Street, Limerick/
Two Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Sean Kent (Under appeal), Ballyrichard, Arklow, Wicklow;
- BD Trading (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Unit 1b Kiltoran Business Park, Ballyhale, Kilkenny.
One Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Superior Distribution Ireland Ltd (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Blackwater Farm, Clongiffen, Longwood, Meath.
Some of the reasons for the enforcement orders in October include: rat infestation; significant build-up of rodent droppings; presence of fruit and drain flies; live maggots on old food residue; extensive rodent droppings; no wash hand basin with hot and cold water for food workers.
Other orders include inaccessible wash hand basin; a complete lack of cleaning; accumulation of grease and food debris; dirty food contact equipment; lack of adequate food storage and contamination prevention procedures; persistent and historical failure to comply with food law; no evidence of a food safety management system.
Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive of FSAI, reiterated the need for food businesses to have adequate pest control systems in place, adding that businesses must operate strict food safety procedures at all times and that they need to be especially vigilant during this particularly busy time of year leading up to Christmas.
“Inadequate pest control measures, filthy premises and unsafe food storage are once again the primary reasons for the Enforcement Orders served in October.
"A high number of the Enforcement Orders were associated with issues related to pests as well as failures to maintain adequate cleaning.
"These issues are all preventable and food businesses must ensure that they always adhere to a high standard of food safety and hygiene," she said.
