Six Irish food businesses served with closure orders in February

Do you know any of these spots?

The enforcement 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 HSE and sea-fisheries protection officers in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.

Two closure orders were served under the FSAI Act on:

• Universal Food Wholesale Distribution Limited (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Unit B3 National Enterprise Park, Togher, Portlaoise, Laois (Date served: 28/02/2025)
• Far East (Restaurant/ Café), 339 Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 (Date served: 13/02/2025 / Date lifted: 17/02/2025)

And four closure orders were served under the EU regulations on:

• Day to Day, Hayestown (Retailer), Boyne Road, Hayestown, Navan, Meath (Date served: 26/02/2025 / Date lifted: 05/03/2025)
• Bombay Kebab House (Take Away), 3 Bridge Street, Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary (Date served: 18/02/2025 / Date lifted: 03/03/2025)
• Tank & Skinny’s @ Number 6 (Restaurant/ Café), Courtyard Shopping Centre, Letterkenny, Donegal (Date served: 18/02/2025 / Date lifted: 20/02/2025)
• Lams (Take Away), 286 Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 (Date served: 14/02/2025 / Date lifted: 20/02/2025)

One prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act on:

• Burren Smokehouse (Fish & Fishery Products Plants – ready to eat fish plants), Kincora Road, Lisdoonvarna, Clare (Date served: 13/02/2025)

Under the FSAI Act 1998, closure orders are issued if - in the opinion of the authorised officer - there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at/or in the food premises.

They may also be served under the European Union Regulations, 2020 if, in the opinion of the authorised officer, there is non-compliance with food legislation by a food business operator.

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 have improved to the satisfaction of the authorised officer.

Meanwhile, under the FSAI Act 1998, a prohibition order is issued to a premise if its activities (handling, processing, disposal, manufacturing, storage, distribution or selling food) involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or item of food.

The effect is to prohibit the sale of the product, either temporarily or permanently.

According to the FSAI, some of the reasons for enforcement orders in February include the following:

"Rodent activity; six mouse carcasses on a warehouse floor; rodent droppings on a shelving unit in service counter area; complete lack of cleaning; significant dirt and grease accumulation on food contact surfaces and equipment; no hot water available for washing surfaces and food equipment; absence of a food safety management system; raw chicken stored in previously used chip boxes; crates and boxes containing out-of-date food in storage area; high-risk ready-to-eat foods and other cooked items stored at unsafe temperatures."

Commenting on the enforcement order, Chief Executive of the FSAI, Mr Greg Dempsey, stated that vigilance is always required in relation to food safety and that standards must be maintained to ensure that consumer health is not put at risk.

“February’s Enforcement Orders serve as an important reminder that food safety must always be a top priority for all food businesses," he said.

"Regular checks and adherence to food safety and hygiene standards are essential to protect consumers’ health and maintain public trust."

"There are no excuses for failing to comply with legal requirements, and any lapse in food safety practices puts consumers at direct risk. Implementing a food safety management system is straightforward, especially with the supports available from the FSAI, yet some businesses continue to neglect this crucial legal requirement.

"Consumers have a right to safe food and it is imperative that all food businesses uphold the highest standards of food safety and hygiene at all times.”