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The mid-morning current affairs magazine with the stories of the day, sharp analysis, in-depth features and consumer interest
Ireland takes centre stage in Europe today with all 27 European Union commissioners and officials holding a series of meetings with Government ministers in Dublin Castle this morning.
With Ireland holding the Presidency of the EU hopes are being raised that
a deal can be struck to ease or cancel our bank debt burden. The government is under pressure to secure a deal on the €3.1 billion interest payment on the Anglo Irish Bank promissory note due in just over 11 weeks.
Joining Pat was Economics Editor of the Irish Independent Brendan Keenan and Peter Brown Founder and Managing Director of the Irish Institute of Financial Trading.
Pat was joined by Brian Turner of the Economics Department of UCC; Liam Doran, General Secretary of the INMO and Michael O’Keeffe , Consultant Opthalmic surgeon to discuss how to get improved efficiency and cost reductions in the health service.
A startling statistic – one in five couples in Ireland are having difficulty conceiving. In the Western World, the number of children born through IVF is increasing but with the cost of such treatment, a treatment which is anything but guaranteed to work, averaging at around €5000, and with each couple averaging four rounds, in such tightened times, it is beyond the means of many. And even for those who can afford it, the body is a complicated thing and needs to be tuned correctly...
Pat was joined in the line by Dr. Charles Kingsland, director of Britain’s biggest NHS fertility unit in Liverpool.
Tina Leonard, Consumer Affairs Expert.
When you’re buying something at the deli counter do you notice whether the person handling the food has their hair tied up or whether they are wearing gloves?
But if so, do you know whether they are disposing of the gloves rather than wearing the same ones to handle a mix of raw and cooked foods for example?
And what about the hygiene in the kitchen of a café or restaurant that you don’t get to see?
Well, there is a range of food safety laws that any business serving food must comply with and there are inspectors to police it.
The bad news, however, is that there was a 30% increase in food safety enforcement orders made last year.
Tina Leonard has been looking in to it.
What can go wrong?
The most usual problems uncovered are the straightforward ones that you would recognise yourself: lack of hygiene; dirt; pests; raw and cooked foods not stored properly; incorrect temperature controls and insufficient staff training.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) believes that the bigger issue if the failure of management to commit to food safety.
With cutbacks in staff and less cash-flow a reality for many food businesses, as others, cutting corners when it comes to food safety may seem an option to some. But the cost of reputational damage could be greater.
What are the numbers?
There were a total of 109 Enforcement Orders served for breaches in food safety legislation in 2012. That compares with 84 in 2011, which is an increase of 30% - making last year the highest to date for the number of Enforcement Orders issued by the FSAI.
??
Between 1st January and 31st December 2012, enforcement officers served 91 Closure Orders, three Improvement Orders and 15 Prohibition Orders on food businesses throughout the country. (This compares with 66 Closure Orders, seven Improvement Orders and 11 Prohibition Orders issued in 2011.)??
How does the enforcement procedure work?
Environmental Health Officers, who are employed by the Health Services Executive (HSE), are tasked with travelling to premises that serve food to the public to check food safety. That could be a supermarket, a deli, a café, a restaurant, a take away, a canteen, a market stall or a chip van. They are checking against legislative requirements under food safety legislation.
Depending on the situation, different enforcement actions may occur:
o An Improvement Notice could be issued if the premises or practice will or is likely to pose a risk to public health, for example in the handling or preparing of food.
o If the Improvement Notice isn’t complied with, an Improvement Order can be issued by the district court. There were three of these orders issued in 2011.
o A Closure Order can be issued if there is likely to be grave and immediate danger to public health or if the premises isn’t complying with other food safety rules. Closures 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 has improved to the satisfaction of the authorised officer, so the premises can take as long as they want to rectify things.
Failure to comply with an Improvement Order is another reason for the issuing of a Closure Order.
There were 91 in total last year.
o A Prohibition Order could be issued if a particular product, or batch or item of food is likely to involve a serious risk to public health. This order will prohibit the sale of a particular product, either temporarily or permanently.
There were 15 prohibition orders in 2012.
Names of premises
The names and addresses of premises on whom closure orders have been served are published on the FSAI website and remain there for three months. This goes for improvement orders also, although prohibition notices remain for just one month.
This ‘naming and shaming’ is important on two levels. Firstly, it informs the consumer as to what’s going on and secondly should act as a deterrent to businesses who want to maintain a positive reputation.
Ex:
In December 2012 seven Closure Orders were served under both the FSAI Act, and EU food safety regulations to:
• Cumann Baire Setanta Teoranta, Hurling and Camogie Club (public house), Beside Library, Ballymun Road, Dublin 11?
• Kanum Thai Ltd (food stall), rear of 7 Bohernabreena Cottages, Tallaght, Dublin 24?
• Pesce Grande (take away) (closed area: the rear food preparation kitchen), Main Street, Aughrim Village, Wicklow?
• Mitsuba Limited, Premises occupied by Mitsuba Ltd (restaurant), 154 Parnell Street, Dublin 1??
• Dynasty Chinese Restaurant & Take Away, Unit 9, College View, Ballymun Town Centre, Ballymun Road, Dublin 9?
• J&V Rahara Farm Meats Ltd trading as May Kearneys (public house) (closed area: ground floor kitchen, food preparation, storage, cooking service and ancillary staff and wash up facilities - bar service areas not included in Closure Order), 10 Lifford Road Ennis, Clare?
• The Anner Hotel (activity affected by the Closure Order: ceasing use of current water supply for drinking and culinary purposes), Dublin Road, Thurles, Tipperary.??
Three things you should know
1. There is an active programme of enforcement going on. It concerns the part of food businesses that by and large you can’t see, and that’s why it’s important that inspections are carried out to ensure compliance with food safety law.
2. The FSAI is also there as a support for industry. While it’s the responsibility of the business to ensure compliance with any law, and that goes for food safety law too. One area of focus has been Chinese and African food businesses and specific training has been provided there. Also, guidelines on food safety are provided in various languages on the FSAI website.
3. If you have a concern about a food business, say you notice bad hygiene or dirt, get sick which you think is related to food from a particular premises, then contact the FSAI. (www.fsai.ie) There is a form you can fill out on their web site or you can telephone them (1890 33 66 77). Either way, an environmental health officer will call to the premises to follow up on your complaint.
