Six closure orders were issued on food businesses last month for breaches of food safety legislation.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said the enforcement orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).

One closure order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• The Greenery (Restaurant/Café), 3 Eirpage House, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

At The Greenery, inspectors found a live mouse in a kitchen used to store ready to eat foodstuffs.

While a large amount of rodent droppings were found behind and on top of storage fridges.

Rodent droppings were also found on shelves which stored foodstuffs and equipment used to prepare food.

The FSAI said: "Adequate measures had not been taken to control pests in the premises with numerous pest proofing issues highlighted".

While five closure orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

• Super Ketones (Retailer), 76 Prospect Hill, Galway
• China City (Restaurant/Café), 29 Thomas Davis Street, Blackpool, Cork
• Kilkenny Kebabish (Takeaway), 26 Walkin Street, Kilkenny
• New Kebabish (Takeaway), 9 South Main Street, Youghal, Cork
• Celtic Pure (Closed activity: Production of all Spring Waters and Production of Other Waters from Well 3), (Packaged Water), Corcreagh, Shercock PO, Monaghan

At China City in Blackpool, it was found that the wok station in the kitchen was "full of stagnant water and old food debris".

The drainage hole of the wok station was also full of old food debris - and there were large accumulations of grease, dirt and old food debris underneath the cooking equipment in the kitchen.

While at New Kebabish in Youghal, there was no hot water supply provided for the staff toilet wash hand basin to allow staff to wash their hands hygienically after using the toilet.

Dr Pamela Byrne is chief executive of the FSAI.

She emphasised that compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations should be of the highest priority for all food businesses.

"Filthy conditions, unhygienic practices and a lack of adequate pest control measures being in place are the main reasons for this month's closure orders.

"It is essential that food businesses have a strong food safety and hygiene culture in their business, which can be achieved through ongoing training of all members of their team.

"Food safety inspectors are continuing to encounter basic errors being made by food businesses which are easily avoidable."

Main image: The Greenery restaurant/café is seen in Donnybrook, Dublin 4 | Image: Google Maps