The Food Safety Authority is advising anyone travelling to the Czech Republic to avoid consuming locally-produced liquor, due to a number of fatalities as a result of methanol poisoning.
To date, 19 people have died and 36 people have been admitted to hospital after drinking illegally-produced liquor that contains high levels of methanol.
The European Commission has said that the Czech Republic’s health authorities have banned the sale and distribution of any form of liquor with alcohol content of 20% or greater as a result of these poisoning incidents.
The FSA is in contact with the Czech authorities and they have confirmed that it is confined to the Czech Republic only.
The Irish authority said it will continue to liaise with its counterparts in the Czech Republic, as well as the European Commission, and will update consumers as necessary.
