A café owned by Dunnes Stores in south Dublin was forced to close last month after inspectors found rodent droppings and "gnawed" food on the premises.
Café Sol in Cornelscourt Shopping Centre in Foxrock, Co Dublin, was one of several businesses served with closure orders by food safety officers in September.
Details published by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on Thursday said rodent droppings were found in the front service area and food storage room of the café. The HSE inspector also noticed a "gnawed chocolate bar" and plastic bag on the floor.
The closure order dated September 4th said a "rodent infestation" in the café presented "a grave and immediate danger" to food safety. The order was lifted on September 6th.
Elsewhere, Koffee and Kale on 21B Hill Street in Dublin 1 was ordered to close after an inspector found an "active cockroach infestation" in the premises.
The closure order dated September 24th said cockroach activity was noted underneath where ready-to-eat salads were kept in the café.
The Lord Lucan pub in Finnstown Shopping Centre, Lucan, Co Dublin, was found on the day of inspection to have a dead rodent caught in a snap trap in the kitchen.
Other food businesses ordered to close in September were:
- Glens Takeaway and Diner, Cappaughna, Glengarriff, Cork
- Grace’s Garden, Dublin Road, Shankhill, Co Dublin
- Spar deli area, Unit 3, 111 Reubens Square, Dolphins Barn, Dublin 8
- Kimex Ireland Limited, Unit 7, Golden Bridge Industrial Estate, Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8
- Osteria 99 Italian Cuisine, 1st Floor, 99 Monkstown Road, Monkstown, Co Dublin
- Polonez, Unit 4, Walkinstown Retail Centre, Walkinstown Avenue, Walkinstown, Dublin 12
- That's Amore, 107 Monkstown Road, Monkstown, Co Dublin
- Antonio's takeaway, 61a Ballybough Road, Dublin 3
- Red Robin Takeaway, River Street, Killenaule, Tipperary
- Coolmine Shawarma & Grilled, Unit 40B, Coolmine Industrial Estate, Porters Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive of the FSAI, said food businesses must ensure that their premises are fully pest proofed.
"The number of Closure Orders served in September, which listed evidence of widespread rodent or cockroach activity along with a lack of pest proofing, is very concerning.
"Pests can transmit very harmful pathogens to food, food surfaces and equipment and this presents a grave and immediate danger to public health.
"Every food business must ensure that they have a robust pest control system in place and that the system is checked regularly. It is crucial that swift and effective action is taken at the first sign of an infestation."
