Some of the reasons for the Closure Orders issued in November include both dead and live cockroaches visible in the staff kitchen, an old rodent carcass in a bar area and an unregistered business operating out of a domestic kitchen
Several Irish food businesses were hit with Closure Orders by the FSAI last month – stock photo
A total of 14 food businesses in Ireland were hit with closure orders in November, including a Dublin market where live moving cockroaches and dead cockroaches were discovered in the staff kitchen.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland issued 11 closure orders last month, shutting businesses for a number of reasons, including the popular Glendalough Hotel in Wicklow, which was ordered to close after a rat infestation was found in the main food preparation area.
Food businesses are served closure orders “where it is deemed there is or is likely to be” a danger to public health at the premises.
The closure orders handed out to 14 food businesses last month issued by environmental health officers in the HSE and by officers of the FSAI.
You can find the full list of establishments issued with closure orders in November below.
Eight Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
McHales Catering Base and Stretford End Bar (Restaurant/Café), Drumkeen Causeway, Kerry – The main kitchen and all storage areas behind the kitchen including food storage and food preparation areas were closed after inspectors found that the food premises were not kept clean and were not maintained in a clean condition. Evidence of pest infestation was also discovered at the premises, including the presence of two rodents under a stand up fridge. The closure order was issued on November 24 and was lifted the following day.Big Johns, Main Street, Upper Mohill, Leitrim – This takeaway was issued with a closure order on November 20 as there was evidence of rodent activity in the premise. The closure order was lifted on November 21.The Bridge House, Corner of Persses-Lot & Main St (N74), Golden, Tipperary – The Storage Room and Back Bar area of this pub were ordered to close after numerous rodent droppings were noted within the storage room, while rodent droppings and a mouse carcass were also noted in the back bar area. The order was lifted November 20.Umami (Retailer), 76 Main Street, Swords, County Dublin – This Dublin market was issued a closure order on November 14 due to an “active cockroach infestation”. According to health inspectors, “live moving cockroaches and dead cockroaches were visible in the staff kitchen”. The order was lifted on November 20.United Foods (Wholesaler/ Distributor), 76 Main Street, Swords, County Dublin – This distributor and wholesaler was issued with a closure order on November 14 after an active cockroach infestation was discovered by the FSAI inspector. The order was lifted on 20 November.Bodega Cafe @ Inspire (Service Sector), Unit 12M, Ard Gaoithe Business Park, Cashel Road, Clonmel, Tipperary – This cafe was ordered to close on November 12 after rat droppings were discovered on top of a freezer and on a shelf under a hot halo unit containing food. The order was lifted on November 14.The Mekong (Take Away), 307 Swords Road, Santry, Dublin 9 – This Chinese and Thai takeaway in north Dublin was issued with a closure order on November 10 after “numerous rodent droppings were observed on the floor in the cleaning room adjacent to the kitchen”. The closure order was lifted on November 13.The Glendalough Hotel, Glendalough, Wicklow – This popular hotel was served with a closure order on November 5 due to a “rat infestation in the main food preparation areas”. Rodent droppings were noted throughout the main kitchen areas, while an “old rodent carcass and old droppings were noted in the bar areas”. The closure order was lifted on November 7.
Six Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
Trading as Enzos (Take Away), 87 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 – This takeaway in Dublin city centre was issued with a closure order on November 28 as “the food premises had not been kept clean and food contact equipment had not been effectively cleaned and, where necessary,disinfected”. Examples include old food detritus on a reused oil container that was used to store ready-to-eat lettuce, accumulations of miscellaneous items including redundant equipment and old dirty clothing in areas where open food is processed, and the walls, floors, ceilings, and doors, fixtures fittings and equipment throughout were not clean with visible grime, dirt and food detritus throughout. The order has yet to be lifted.Coffee Shack Station Road, Castlebar, Mayo – The room in the building at the rear of this Mayo takeaway being used as a food store was ordered to close on November 27 after a dead rodent was found on the ground adjacent to the small freezer, while rodent droppings were also found on shelving. The closure has not yet been lifted.Akanchawa Honey Pot (Restaurant/ Café), Unit 39, Coolmine Industrial Estate, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 – This Dublin eatery was served with a closure order on November 27 as the food workers on site at the time of inspection were not wearing any protective clothing, while the general level of cleaning at the time of inspection was noted to be poor. The order was lifted on December 2.A.M.K Sushi, Domestic Kitchen at Moynalty Road, Kells, Meath – This takeaway was ordered to close on November 21 after it was found to be an unregistered business operating out of a domestic kitchen. It was ordered to close its premises and delete its social media and online presence. The closure order has not yet been lifted.Benny’s Kitchen (Service Sector/ Residential), Domestic Kitchen at Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15 – A closure order was issued on November 21 as this food business has not been notified to the HSE. It was also discovered that the food business operator was storing high risk food in a fridge and freezer in her bedroom along with cooking utensils and food contact material, while foods had been cooked on a gas burner in the back garden with no protection from the elements. The order has not yet been lifted.Cruncheesz Cavan Road, Oldcastle, Meath – This Meath takeaway was issued with a closure order on November 6 after “food workers demonstrated unsafe food handling practices”. Health inspectors also found the business operating without the required HACCP-based procedures, including reusing kebab meat taken off the rotisserie at the end of each day. The order was lifted on November 12.
Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said that November’s Enforcement Orders serve as a reminder that all food businesses must maintain the highest standards of food safety and hygiene at all times and especially during the busy Christmas and new year periods.
“Consumers have a right to safe food, and there is a personal responsibility on owners, managers, and all employees to comply with food safety legal requirements at all times,” he said.
“During the busy festive period, it is especially important that food businesses have proper procedures in place to manage increased demands and pressures.
“All food businesses must comply with their legal requirement to notify the competent authorities prior to operating to ensure there are adequate food safety processes, procedures and facilities in place.”
Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website.
Closure Orders and Improvement Orders remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.
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