Ten food businesses were ordered to close in August for breaches of food safety laws, including two restaurants in Swords, Co Dublin, and premises in Mayo, Kerry and Meath.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) published details of enforcement orders issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive last month.
Four closure orders were served under the FSAI Act 1997 on the Canton House Restaurant, 2 Bath Street, Dublin 4; Sweet Nosh restaurant, Chatham Street, Dublin 2; Tikka Balti takeaway, 404 South Circular Road, Dublin 8 and Brandon Bay Lodge/B&B (closed area/kitchen), Killshanig, Maharees, Castlegregory, Co Kerry.
Six closure orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations 2010.
The affected businesses were Jade Dragon restaurant, North Mall, Westport, Co Mayo; Gleeson’s Bakery, Lewis Lane, Connolly Street, Nenagh, Co Tipperary; Nan’s takeaway, 3 Applewood Village, Swords, Co Dublin; Jade Palace restaurant), 1st Floor of Orchard Bar, Applewood Village, Swords, Co Dublin; Caspian’s restaurant, Main Street, Kiltimagh, Co Mayo and Rishab’s Tandoori House restaurant, Main Street, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath.
Separately, a prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act on Kamaceuticals Ltd fruit and vegetable processor, Burdautien, Clones, Co Monaghan.
Another prohibition order was served under the EC regulations on Mad Cow Milkshakes Burgers & Kebabs takeaway at 1 Annamoe Road, Cabra, Dublin 7.
FSAI chief executive Dr Pamela Byrne said she was disappointed at the lack of vigilance by some owners in ensuring their food businesses were fit for purpose and fully compliant with food safety legislation.
“We continue to find unacceptable levels of non-compliance with food safety legislation,” she said.
“There are still some food business operators who are potentially putting their customers’ health at risk by not complying with their legal obligations for food safety and hygiene. There is absolutely no excuse for these negligent practices.”
The legal onus was on food businesses to make sure that the food they served was safe to eat, she said.
She urged businesses to take full advantage of the information and support provided by the inspectorate and the FSAI to ensure that they had the correct food safety management systems in place.
A closure order is served where it is deemed that there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises.
Prohibition orders are issued if the activities (including handling, processing, disposal, manufacturing, storage, distribution or selling food) involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or item of food.
Full details of the enforcement orders and the dates they were lifted, if applicable, are available on fsai.ie