Closure orders were served to establishments in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford.
Seven closure orders were served on Irish food businesses during March, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
The enforcements orders were issued for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and officers of the FSAI.
Four Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- IrEntertainment Limited, 106 Lagan Road, Dublin Industrial Estate, Dublin 11
- Press Up Eats, 4-5 South Main Street, Cork
- OPTP Eatery Limited (take away), The Cross, Knocklong, Limerick
- Asian Food Babak, Unit 5A, Park Road Business Park, Park Road, Waterford
Three Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Remedy Health (Closed activities: All processing, marketing, sale and supply of Cannabidiol (CBD) food products (including food supplements) and the internet sites or social media sites it operates or employs, be ceased), Unit 7, Yawl Business Park, Millennium Court, Foxhole, Youghal, Cork
- Indias Taste (take away), Bridgewater Hall, 17-19 Summerhill Parade, Dublin 1
- Allta at Liffey Trust Centre, 117-126 Sheriff Street Upper, Dublin 1
One Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Remedy Health Limited, Unit 7, Yawl Business Park, Millennium Court, Foxhole, Youghal, Cork
During the month of March, one prosecution was taken by the HSE in relation to:
- Old Oak and 115 Café, 113 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork
Under the FSAI Act, a closure order is served where it is deemed that there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises; or where an improvement order is not complied with.
Under the EU regulations, closure orders are served where there is a non-compliance with food legislation.
Closure orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.
The orders may be lifted when the premises has improved to the satisfaction of the authorised officer.
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in March include evidence of extensive rodent activity, a glue trap containing a dead rodent was found on a box of crisps on the shop floor, raw food and cooked food vacuum packing taking place on same vacuum packer, and having no suitable means of washing and disinfecting cooking equipment.
Additional reasons include: a sink designated for vegetable preparation was being used to store large pots and pans; no wash hand basin provided in the kitchen, and no hot water supply at the wash hand basins in staff toilet; containers of vegetables, cooked chicken and cooked lamb being stored overnight and uncovered in an open display unit; adequate and appropriate food hygiene training was not demonstrated by higher management; no written allergen information available to customers; no evidence of effective food safety management system in place and concentrations of CBD declared on product labels were misleading as to the characteristic of the foods and, in particular, as to their composition.
“It is simply not good enough that there continues to be such grave and serious disregard of basic food safety procedures," said Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI.
"The Enforcement Orders in March show that some businesses are failing to comply with safe food practices that are in place to protect consumers’ health.
"In particular, several of the Closure Orders reference significant rodent infestations. This is not acceptable in any food business at any time, as it poses a serious risk to public health.
"Food businesses need to ensure that they have a strong food safety culture, including correct food safety management procedures in place to ensure pest control and best hygiene practice at all times. Consumers have a right to safe food.”
