'Live rodents and dead birds in food prep areas' - Closure orders served on over 10 food businesses

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued closure orders on 13 food businesses across the country in the month of September, with a total of 16 Enforcement orders handed out due 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) and officers of the FSAI.

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in September include:

• A live rodent running across the floor of a food storage room
• A dead rodent caught in a snap trap in a kitchen with clear evidence of a rodent attack on a bag of rice, along with bird droppings, feathers, and a dead bird present on the premises
• An active cockroach infestation beneath a cold service display unit storing uncovered food with inadequate procedures in place to control pests

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

• Glens Takeaway and Diner, Cappaughna, Glengarriff, Cork
• Grace’s Garden (Service Sector), Dublin Road, Shankhill, Co. Dublin
• Koffee and Kale (Restaurant/Café), 21B Hill Street, Dublin 1
• Spar (Closed area: Deli area only), Unit 3, 111 Reubens Square, Dolphins Barn, Dublin 8
• Kimex Ireland Limited (Small Meat Manufacturing Plant), Unit 7, Golden Bridge Industrial Estate, Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8
• Osteria 99 Italian Cuisine (Restaurant/Café), 1st Floor, 99 Monkstown Road, Monkstown, Co. Dublin
• Polonez (Retailer), Unit 4, Walkinstown Retail Centre, Walkinstown Avenue, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.
• Café Sol, Cornelscourt Shopping Centre, Foxrock, Dublin 18
• That's Amore (Restaurant/Café), 107 Monkstown Road, Monkstown, Co. Dublin

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

• Antonio's (Take Away), 61a Ballybough Road, Dublin 3
• Red Robin Takeaway, River Street, Killenaule, Tipperary
• The Lord Lucan Pub, Finnstown Shopping Centre, Lock Road, Lucan, Co. Dublin
• Coolmine Shawarma & Grilled (Closed activity: Storage, preparation, handling and cooking of raw meat at the premises) (Take Away), Unit 40B, Coolmine Industrial Estate, Porters Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

One Improvement Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Sizzlers (Take Away), 41 William Street, Limerick

One Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• Hearty Sunshine (Health Food Shop/Pharmacy/Sports Nutrition), Unit 2A Block, Moore Street Mall, 55-66, Parnell Street, Dublin 1

Also, during the month of September, one prosecution was taken by the HSE in relation to:

• Cork Oriental Supermarket, 13 Dalton's Avenue, Cork

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, said that food businesses must ensure that their premises are fully pest proofed.

“The number of Closure Orders served in September, which listed evidence of widespread rodent or cockroach activity along with a lack of pest proofing, is very concerning.

“Pests can transmit very harmful pathogens to food, food surfaces and equipment and this presents a grave and immediate danger to public health. Every food business must ensure that they have a robust pest control system in place and that the system is checked regularly. It is crucial that swift and effective action is taken at the first sign of an infestation.

“Consumers have an absolute right to expect safe food. There is no room for excuses and adhering to food safety standards is a legal obligation for every food business,” said Dr Byrne.

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 from the date the Order was lifted.