16 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during the month of October for breaches of food safety legislation.
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders include rat infestation, significant build-up of rodent droppings, presence of fruit and drain flies and live maggots on old food residue.
Eight Closure Orders were served under the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act, 1998.
This included the main kitchen at Tinakilly Country House Hotel, Main Street, Rathnew, Wicklow.
The report states that there was a rodent infestation in the main kitchen food preparation area where high risk ready to eat open foods are prepared.
"This was evident by the presence of fresh rodent droppings below the dishwasher in the main kitchen area," the report states.
Eskimo Pizza take away, 31 Deansgrange Road, Deansgrange, Co Dublin was also served with a closure order due to evidence of rodent droppings.
"A complete lack of cleaning is evident in the premises," the report states.
Six other Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Longfield Academy (Closed area: Main kitchen used for reheating food), Rockview, Deerpark Rd, Cashel, Tipperary
- The Restaurant within Carnew Mart, Carnew, Wicklow
- OCrualaoi Butchers & Delicatessen (Closed area: The Kitchen), Scoil Mhuire Fatima, North Monastery Primary School, North Monastery Road, Cork
- Baking Emporium (Foods of non-Animal Origin Processing), Bridgemount House, Dunmanway, Cork
- NDM Green Italia (Take Away), 37 Rathmines Road Upper, Rathmines, Dublin 6
- Grain and Gain (Restaurant/Café), The Bypass Business Park, Bandon, Cork
Four Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Tasty Mac's (Take Away), Main Street, Falcarragh, Donegal
- Welcome Home (Retailer), 2 Kickham Place, Tipperary Town, Tipperary
- CoCo Asian & Chinese Takeaway, Main Street, Ballingarry, Limerick
- Istanbul Kebab House (Restaurant/Café), 29 Lower Liffey Street, Dublin 1
One Improvement Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Turkmen Grill, 1-2 Parnell Street, Limerick, while two Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Sean Kent (Under appeal), Ballyrichard, Arklow, Wicklow and BD Trading (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Unit 1b Kiltoran Business Park, Ballyhale, Kilkenny.
One Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on Superior Distribution Ireland Ltd (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Blackwater Farm, Clongiffen, Longwood, Meath.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, reiterated the need for food businesses to have adequate pest control systems in place, adding that businesses must operate strict food safety procedures at all times and that they need to be especially vigilant during this particularly busy time of year leading up to Christmas.
"Inadequate pest control measures, filthy premises and unsafe food storage are once again the primary reasons for the Enforcement Orders served in October," she said.
"A high number of the Enforcement Orders were associated with issues related to pests as well as failures to maintain adequate cleaning.
"These issues are all preventable and food businesses must ensure that they always adhere to a high standard of food safety and hygiene," she added.
