Wednesday, 7 February 2018

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that four Closure Orders were served on food businesses during the month of January for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010. The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).

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

• Hot Spot (take away), 61 Parnell Street, Limerick
• Lamar & Bread Limited (manufacturer), Unit 28 Nordic Enterprise Park, Midleton, Cork
• Lam Inn (take away), 386 South Circular Road, Dolphins Barn, Dublin 8

One Closure Order was served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

• Colm Leavy Butchers (Closed activity: The cooking of raw chickens and the hot holding and handling of cooked chickens), 2 Lambs Cross, Sandyford, Dublin 18

During the month of January, there were two prosecutions by the HSE in relation to:

• Polski Sklep Miesny (grocery), Elite Business Park, Smithstown, Shannon, Clare
• Costcutters (grocery), 68B Malahide Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3

Some of the reasons for the Closure Orders in January were: serious risks of contamination with pathogenic bacteria relating to the presence of a live rodent in an open section of a wall cavity within a food business and in a second business relating to human excrement overflowing from the food workers toilet while the kitchen was in operation; absence of a contract with a competent pest control contractor; rodent droppings on the floor in the food production area, under the front counter and on the floor under the pizza oven; and food premises not kept clean including a significant build-up of dirt and dried blood on surfaces and equipment and inadequate procedures to prevent cross contamination.

Commenting on the Enforcement Orders served in January, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI stated that food businesses must prioritise food safety requirements to ensure the food they are serving is safe to eat.

    “It is not acceptable that consumers’ or food workers’ health is compromised by inadequate food safety practices in a food business. The legal responsibility for producing safe food lies firmly with food businesses. Food businesses must pay close attention to hygiene standards throughout their entire business operation and ensure that the food they sell to consumers is safe to eat. Food businesses run the risk of making their customers sick through contaminated food and ruining their reputation with consumers and within the industry by neglecting basic food safety management and hygiene standards. Non-compliances are not tolerated and breaches of food safety legislation are dealt with to the full extent of food law.”

    “If any food business owner is unsure of what is required of them by law, they can contact the FSAI advice line at info@fsai.ie or visit its website www.fsai.ie or facebook page,” 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 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.

Enforcement Order Reports