Twelve Closure Orders served on food businesses in September

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) served 12 Closure Orders on food businesses during the month of September 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.

Ten Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Furlong’s Bar & Lounge & Nellie’s Takeaway, Curracloe, Wexford
• Fia’s Café, 57 Thomas Street, Prior’s Land, Limerick
• The Lunch Bag – Timahoe GAA (all areas pertaining to the food business activities) (Service Sector), Timahoe GAA, Pairc Mhochua Cremorgan, Timahoe, Portlaoise
• Pizza Petito (Takeaway), 9 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6
• Centra (Retailer), Ardlo Manor, Mullagh, Cavan
• Summergrove House (All areas pertaining to the food business activities) (B&B used primarily as a private dwelling), Summergrove, Mountmellick, Portlaoise, Laois
• Everest Kitchen Nepalese (Restaurant/Café), The Friary Bow, Abbey Street, Ennis, Clare
• The Thatch (Restaurant/Café), Killenard, Portalington, Laois
• Marka Cadey 2 (Restaurant/Café), 5 Talbot Street, Dublin 1
• The Hopsach (Service Sector), Swan Leisure Centre, Lower Rathmines Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6

Two Closure Orders were served under European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• Eskimo Pizza and Indian (Takeaway), Main Street, Ballyheigue, Kerry
• J2 Sushi & Bento (Restaurant/Café), 75 Main Street, Swords, County Dublin

Among the reasons for the Closure Orders in September are: evidence of pest activity, including an active cockroach infestation at all stages of the life cycle; dead cockroaches found on traps beneath the ready-to-eat food service area and in the pot-wash and dish-wash areas; a dead rodent found directly in front of a fridge containing beverages; two dead mice at different stages of decomposition behind a shelving unit in a food storage room, with rodent droppings noted on shelving and preparation surfaces where food utensils and beverages were stored; failure to provide adequate hand-washing facilities; absence of a food safety management system based on HACCP principles; inadequate standards of cleanliness; failure to demonstrate use-by dates for prepared foods produced on site; permitting a member of the public to access the kitchen area and use kitchen facilities to prepare food for personal consumption; inadequate procedures for the cooking, cooling and reheating of high-risk foods, including chicken; and failure to ensure food workers were adequately supervised, instructed and/or trained in food hygiene.

Commenting today, Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said:

“The Closure Orders served in September once again highlight the importance of maintaining robust food safety and hygiene practices across all food businesses.

Issues such as inadequate pest control, poor cleaning standards and unsafe food storage continue to be the main reasons for enforcement action.

These are entirely preventable non-compliances when proper food safety management systems are in place.

While the majority of food businesses take their legal responsibilities very seriously, we continue to see a small number of businesses subject to enforcement action, including closure, due to their non-compliances with basic food safety standards.

Food businesses should be continuously improving their food safety standards via regular training, availing of our free online learning portal, as well as promoting a strong culture of food safety within their businesses.”

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie

Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.