Are you familiar with any of these places?
Eight food businesses in Ireland were served with closure orders for breaches of food safety legislation during the month of November, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
A separate prohibition enforcement order was applied to one food business.
The affected businesses were located in Dublin, Meath, Leitrim, Monaghan and Galway.
The food businesses were issued with closure orders 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.
The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Four Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Chaska (restaurant), 3 Berry House, Custom House Square, IFSC, Dublin 1 – issued on 17 November, lifted on 22 November
- Boba Bar, 139 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 – issued on 9 November, lifted on 23 November
- Greenville Deli, 312 Rathmines Road Lower, Dublin 6 – issued on 4 November, lifted on 5 November
- Wok in Noodle Bar (Closed area: Food contact material and equipment storeroom only), 48-40 Stephens Street Lower, Dublin 2 – issued on 3 November, lifted on 17 November
Four Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Navan Soup Kitchen, Brews Hill Navan, Meath – issued on 23 November, lifted on 1 December
- Karma (restaurant) (Closed activities: Part of the activities of the business, its establishments, holdings or other premises be ceased namely the preparation and sale of sushi and sashimi), 10-12 Mill Street, Balbriggan, Dublin 1 – issued on 17 November, lifted on 18 November
- Mitchell’s Bar (Area Closed: The kitchen used for the preparation, cooking and service of food), Main Street, Carrigallen, Leitrim – issued on 11 November
- Healing with Hemp, Trading as Kama Hemp (Under appeal) (Closed activities: All activities of the food business, its establishments, holdings or other premises and the internet sites and social media sites operated by food business be ceased for the purpose of placing food on the market), Burdautien, Clones, Monaghan – issued on 5 November
One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Greenville Deli, 312 Rathmines Road Lower, Dublin 6 – issued on 4 November, lifted on 5 November
During the month of November, two prosecutions were taken by the FSAI in relation to:
- Arrabawn Co-Operative Society Limited, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Galway
- The former quality manager of the business trading as Arrabawn, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Galway
Among the reasons for November’s enforcement orders include an active cockroach infestation discovered beneath food preparation tables and fridges; surfaces throughout the premises being food-stained and dirty, defective refrigerated units, and a drain serving the kitchen and associated areas being blocked resulting in the staff toilet overflowing sewage onto the floor.
Further reasons include foul water present on a kitchen floor which appeared to have emanated from a grease trap; food workers observed walking through sewage and foul water, spreading it through the kitchen while food was being prepared; failure to provide written allergen information to customers; and procedures to control pests not being put in place at time of inspection.
Yet more reasons for the enforcement orders include improperly trained or supervised staff; high risk ready-to-eat foods not maintained at refrigerated temperatures, and no evidence of an appropriate food safety culture within the food business or visible commitment from management to the safe production of food.
“Food businesses must ensure they have a strong food safety culture in place, including regular and ongoing training of both full and part-time staff,” said Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI.
“Food safety culture embeds best practice standards as a top priority in a food business and is reflected in how it does its daily work. Food safety is everyone’s responsibility in a food business and not just the business owner.
“There is a personal responsibility for managers and all employees to comply with food safety law at all times and in particular, ensure that all information and records provided to inspectors are truthful and accurate.
“There can be zero tolerance for negligent practices that put consumers’ health at risk and the FSAI and food inspectors will use the full powers available to them under food law if a food business is found to be in breach.”
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