One of Dublin's oldest pubs is among 12 premises which were issued with closure orders by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland last month.
Hartigan’s on Leeson Street Lower was among three closure orders issued under the FSAI Act, which states that "a grave and immediate danger to public health" had been identified.
The pub was found to have "multiple holes and gaps in the walls along with rodent droppings" and "a rodent carcass in a snap trap".
Inspectors said the pub had inadequate pest control measures in place.
Boba Bar on Dublin's Parnell Street, which had "an active cockroach infestation at all stages of the life cycles throughout the premises", was also issued with a closure order.
One trap under a fridge in the kitchen had dead and live cockroaches in it.
Moving cockroaches were found on the floor, on fridges and beneath food preparation areas.
In Duud, a shop in Blanchardstown, inspectors discovered food stored "under a loose tarpaulin, in the external rear yard of the food premises" in close proximity to "[refuse] and waste materials".
The back door "allowed access of pests" thanks to "a large gap at the bottom of the door through which light was visible".
Nine other premises were issued with closure orders under EU Regulations, including four businesses operating at Fonthill Retail Park in Clondalkin
- The Garden @ The Shannon Bar in Termonbarry, Co Roscommon
- Fayrouz Restaurant, 117 Cork Street, Dublin 8
- Riverhouse Café, 1 Castle Street, Cahir, Tipperary
- *Eurasia Supermarket, Unit 1, Fonthill Retail Park, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
- Evergreen Retail Limited (retailer), Unit 1, Fonthill Retail Park, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
- Humeera Traders Limited (retailer), Unit 1, Fonthill Retail Park, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
- *Spice Village Indian Street Food (retailer), Unit 1, Fonthill Retail Park, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
- *Eurasia Supermarket (Closed area: First floor food storage hall & attached kitchen area only), Unit 1, Fonthill Retail Park, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
- *Spice Village Indian Street Food (Closed area - First floor food storage hall & attached kitchen area only) (retailer), Unit 1, Fonthill Retail Park, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Four prohibition orders were also issued:
- Baltic Market (retailer), 2 Dominic Street, Drogheda, Co Louth
- Goa Indian Spice Kitchen Ltd (takeaway), Unit 103, St Patrick's Woollen Mills, Douglas, Co Cork
- Select Asia (retailer), Unit 103, St Patrick’s Woollen Mills, Douglas, Co Cork
- Quality Foods (butcher shop), 59-61 Dublin Street, Balbriggan, Co Dublin
Among the reasons for enforcement orders issued across various premises were evidence of ongoing cockroach activity, which led to the serving of six closure orders on food businesses at one location.
In some cases live cockroaches were found in equipment and on traps in some kitchen areas, while inspectors also found failures to implement adequate pest control measures, failures to implement an appropriate food safety culture, and food with either expired, missing or altered use-by dates.
Inspectors also found filthy cleaning equipment and cleaning cloths.
FSAI Chief Executive Dr Pamela Byrne emphasised that compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations should be of the highest priority for all food businesses.
"Filthy premises, unsafe food storage and inadequate pest control measures are once again the primary reasons for this month's Enforcement Orders," she said.
"These violations demonstrate a total disregard for food safety requirements and highlight the ongoing failure of some food businesses to maintain basic, consistent cleaning practices, and this failure poses a significant risk to public health.
"Food businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of the food they produce, distribute or sell by maintaining proper storage temperatures, ensuring staff are properly trained, having stringent hygiene practices and ensuring their food businesses are fully pest proofed."
A further nine closure orders were issued under EU Regulations, including four businesses operating at Fonthill Retail Park in Clondalkin:
