Details of March’s food closures in Ireland have emerged, including “a large number of dead cockroaches on the top of a cold room.”
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland have revealed some of the reasons why seven businesses were served with closure and prohibition orders in March, with rodent infestations in one premises and dried blood on the walls of another among the reasons for the sanctions.
Six food closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Aladdins Cave, Montessori School and Creche, Stoney Lane, Ardee, Louth (Order served on 6 March, order lifted on 11 March)
- SM Cuisine Limited T/A Dera, 138 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 (Served 8 March, lifted 12 March)
- Hab Foods Limited t/a Haji Baba (Closed Area: Black container unit located adjacent to the main building only), Unit 20 Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate, Ballyfermot Road Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 (Served 9 March)
- Paparazzi, 35 Main St Ongar, Dublin 15 (Served 14 March, lifted 29 March)
- Oche Takeaway, Unit 5, Tallaght Retail Centre High Street Tallaght, Dublin 24 (Served 15 March, lifted 17 March)
- Panda House, 43 Barrack Street Dundalk, Louth (Served 28 March)
One prohibition order was served on:
- Hab Foods Limited t/a Haji Baba (wholesaler) (Product withdrawn: All minced lamb, diced beef, diced lamb and diced skinned chicken being supplied from the premises), Unit 20 Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate, Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10
The FSAI have revealed some of the reasons behind the sanctions, citing:
- Rodent infestation in a crèche pre-school room, baby room and nappy changing area
- Large quantities of dried on blood splatters on the walls in a meat preparation unit
- A large number of dead cockroaches on the top of a cold room
- Fresh rat droppings under an oven and in the motor compartment of freezers in a kitchen
- Very poor standard of basic hygiene and cleanliness
- No food safety management system
- No allergen information provided for non-prepacked food and drinks sold on the premises.
The release does not state which offences relate to which business with regard to the food closures.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI stated that food business operators in Ireland should fully understand that it is their legal responsibility to ensure they are maintaining a high standard of food safety throughout their food business.
“Consumer health in relation to food is our priority, and the FSAI, together with the inspectorate, strives to ensure that all food businesses abide by the legal requirements placed upon them,” she said.
“Food businesses must ensure that their premises are kept clean and that they are pest proofed and yet each month, inspectors are finding recurring incidents of filthy premises and rodent infestations.
“Enforcement Orders tarnish the food industry as a whole and can damage consumer confidence.
“The onus is on each individual food business to take responsibility and commit to ensuring high food safety standards and compliance with the law.
“Non-compliance by food businesses will not be tolerated and all breaches of food safety legislation will be dealt with to the full extent of the law,” said Dr Byrne.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
