The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has said 109 enforcement orders were served on food businesses in 2018.
This is a 58% increase compared to 2017.
The FSAI has stressed that the responsibility lies with food businesses to ensure that the food they sell is safe to eat and compliant with food safety legislation.
Between January 1st and December 31st last year, food inspectors served 95 closure orders, five improvement orders and nine prohibition orders around the country.
The types of food safety issues that lead to enforcement orders were evidence of rodent infestation and rodent droppings, filthy conditions, failure to maintain correct temperatures of foodstuffs and a lack of knowledge of food safety by staff.
Unsuitable food storage facilities and improper or lack of water facilities for cleaning were also recurring themes.
Dr Pamela Byrne is chief executive of the FSAI: "There are absolutely no excuses for negligent food practices.
"The types of reasons cited for enforcement orders are simple errors that should not be happening in any food business.
File photo
"Enforcement orders are served on food businesses only when a serious risk to consumer health has been established or where there are a number of ongoing serious breaches of food legislation.
"Non-compliance by food businesses will not be tolerated and all breaches of food safety legislation will be dealt with the full extent of the law."
During December nine closure orders, two improvement orders and one prohibition order were served on food businesses for breaches of food safety legislation.
These were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The five closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- King Kebab (restaurant/café), 10 Sean Costello Street, Irishtown, Athlone, Westmeath
- Officers' Mess (restaurant/café), Air Corps Headquarters, Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnell, Dublin 22
- Hot Krispy Chicken Ltd (takeaway), Unit 2, Eagle Court, Main Street, Clonee, Meath
- Fu Jing Chinese Takeaway, Collon, Louth
- Our Lady's Hospital (Closed area: Male Medical Ward Kitchen only), Athboy Road, Navan, Meath
The four closure orders, served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, were on:
- Field's Bakery (Closed area: Large storeroom to the left of the premises used for storage of food, food contact materials and food contact and equipment), Castletownshend Road, Carrigfadda, Skibbereen, Cork
- Natural Green (food processor), Unit C, Stadium Business Centre, Stadium Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15
- Mikes Pizza and Pasta (takeaway), Dublin Road, Ballinagh, Cavan
- Asian Wok, 35 O'Growney Street, Athboy, Meath
While two improvement orders were served on:
- The Silly Goose (public house), 3 Hanover Place, Cork
And one prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- U Polaka (retailer), Unit 16-17, Friary Business Park, Naas, Kildare
Defence Forces Air Corps helicopters are seen at the Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Dublin in this 2010 file photo | Image: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie
'Rodent activity'
At the officers' mess at Air Corps Headquarters in Dublin, the FSAI said a commercial pest control company reported mice activity in the wash up area of the kitchen - and a
"juvenile rodent" was reported as being seen in the dining area and main kitchen.
While an adult dead rodent was found in a set trap located under the equipment sink in the wash up area.
It said that there were "a large number of possible access points" for rodents to enter the building at the time of the inspection.
At the male medical ward kitchen in Our Lady's Hospital in Co Meath, the FSAI said there was rodent activity "as evidenced by fresh rodent droppings found in the press unit underneath the wash hand basin"
A dead rodent was also found trapped underneath the sink unit.
"The presence of rodents in the male medical ward kitchen poses or is likely to pose a grave and immediate danger to public health", it found.
Dr Byrne added: "There were nine closure orders served on food businesses in December and common non-compliances are filthy conditions, poor hygiene and improper or no pest controlling systems in place.
"Food safety legislation sets standards which food businesses must adhere to, and there can be no shortcuts when it comes to ensuring the protection of consumer health.
"It is of paramount importance that all food businesses must operate stringent food safety practices in order to ensure the food they are producing and selling to their customers is safe to eat.
"The onus is on food businesses to comply with the law by ensuring that they and their staff are fully trained in the areas of food safety and hygiene, and to protect the health of their customers".
